You Matter
by bellapaige88
Summary: Hi everyone … So this story picks up where the season left off – only a few hours later, but with a few twist and turns. All the cast from Rookie Blue included. McSwarek finding their way back where they belong.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: *sighs* Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue, but will have great pleasure in toying with the characters. *grins and pulls out McSwarek Voodoo dolls and makes them kiss*

**A/N: **Hi everyone … So this story picks up where the season left off – only a few hours later, but with a few twist and turns. I will do my best to address everything that is happening to the characters. Now since I am an Aussie, I will do my best to get all the Toronto stuff right. I do have a few contacts on FF and tumblr that help me with it.

I have no idea what month it was on the show when the season ended so if someone could help it out, it would be great. I've been informed that it's winter, confirmation on that would be great to.

Happy Reading

* * *

**"How do I get through one night without you, if I had to live without you - what kind of life would that be? Oh and I, I need you in my arms, need you to hold - You're my world, my heart, my soul. If you ever leave, baby, you would take away everything good in my life."**

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE **

**St Michaels Hospital – 21:48p.m – ICU Waiting room**

Andy was sitting back in the waiting room and had been for an hour now as thousands of thoughts swirled around in her mind. She just kept going over the last almost four years in her head – over all the time they spent together and all the moments and talks that they have had. Andy closed her eyes as she remembered back to a few years ago after being trapped in the burned down building with the victim's wife. She was talking to Sam in the mens locker room, well venting because she knew that he would listen.

"_Okay, so Ron Hannah starts talking details about torching the place and Joey just says 'Sure, yeah, no problem buddy, give me ten K and I'll light the fuse for you'." She vented to Sam as he sat down and began to put his boots on. _

"_Well it's illegal, but he didn't know Ron was gonna kill himself," he replied._

_Andy sat down on the long chair at the other end to where Sam was sitting and pulled her legs up. "Yeah, but if the guy is your friend – you think he would give him some time to think about it," she supplied in frustration. "I'm mean you don't have to light the friggin match," she exclaimed as she crossed her legs. _

_Sam lifted his eyes to her and released a heavy sigh. __"Time and space, McNally. You said it yourself, none of us are experts." He said with a soft look. _

_Andy felt a smile tickle her lips. "Well, except you. Time and space and you're a bona fide savant," she claimed with a soft smile._

"_I'm there when it matters," he replied genuine with a smile and nod of the head._

_She found herself nodding her head back and sharing a look. Andy couldn't help but think … he was. _

Andy felt as more tears formed in her eyes at the old memory. _He was always there when it mattered, sure they had a rough few months but she knew that he was and would always be there when it mattered. He always put others safety before his own which made her love him more but also scared the hell out of her at the same time. _

The waiting room was still filled with several Officers from the 15th Division even though a lot had gone home. Frank had sent most of them home and promised to update them when he knew more. That was an hour ago. Forty minutes ago Andy and sent Traci home because her son needed her, she had made Steve take her and Andy promised to call her as soon as she heard anything. Frank was still here – waiting and Noelle had arrived a couple of hours ago. Chris was sitting in the chair on her right and Dov on her left, because she had sent Nick home. She just couldn't deal with him at the moment, Andy knew that they had to talk, but not right now. She knew whatever they had was over.

Andy knew that Dov was going through something at the moment also because he had mentioned something about Chloe having a husband and banning him from the room. Andy knew that her friend was taking it hard.

Gail and Holly were sitting opposite her. Holly had her arm around Gail and the blonde cop was resting her head on her shoulder – almost falling asleep. Andy was curious to what was going on there but if Gail was happy, then that was the main thing. She knew the two had been getting close lately, Andy hadn't realized how close.

Andy really hated hospitals and waiting. Waiting for news was like being in limbo and time seemed to drag on. Andy kept hearing his voice in her head and was going over the conversation that they had before discovering that Forde was in the station.

"_So stay," she asked him as she walked by his side throughout the station._

"_I can't, I can't," Sam told her, stopping._

_Andy stood in front of him, puzzled._

_Sam exhaled a deep breath and rubbed his hands over his face before looking at her. "I can't be here anymore – with you," he told her with fustration._

_Andy felt stung by his words. "I – I don't know understand," she answered, shrugging her shoulders._

"_I screwed up," he confessed, raw emotion filled his voice. "It's my fault. I screwed up over and over and over again. Andy, I want you to be happy – more than anything in the world, more than anything I could ever want for myself … and you are – with him." He answered in defeat._

_Andy was speechless. Sam rarely showed this side of himself. He loves her. He still loves her. She knew that now. Andy could see the pain in his eyes behind that forced smile and it killed her. _

"_And that mean, uh … I gotta go," he simply answered as he walked pass her._

_Andy felt her heart stop for a moment. Go? No! She didn't want to lose him now. She couldn't lose him now. Andy turned and followed him. "Sam!" she called after him. _

Andy felt a sob escaped her throat at the memory. She knew back at the station when Sam had told her that he wanted her to be happy and walked away, when she had chased him out of the station – she was going to tell him that he makes her happy but then they found Oliver's squad car and everything sped by pretty quick after that.

Andy felt Dov grab her hand but couldn't look at him

_Andy turned the corner and was heading for the room where Nick and Marlo were when she saw Nick leaving it and Forde a few metres from him with gun drawn and about to shoot. She instantly reached for her own weapon and drew it when she heard Sam's voice._

"_Forde, No!" she heard him shout from the other side of the room._

_Forde spun around in the direction of the voice and fired his gun and Sam went down._

_Nick instantly draw his gun and shot Forde. _

_Andy saw Sam lying on the ground and it felt as someone grabbed her heart and was squeezing the life out of it. In a matter of seconds, she holstered her gun and just started running as fast as her legs would take her to him. "Sam!" she shouted in fear and was by his side in a matter of seconds. Her hand instantly covering his wound, a million thought running through her mind as she did her best to control the situation and not break down. He needed her to be strong at this moment. He was always the strong for her. _

_Sam was trying to get up, but she held him down with the hand that wasn't covering his wound. "You've got to stay down," she told him, trying not to let her voice break. "Stay down."_

"_I gotta get up," he said, put she kept him down._

"_No, no, no," she told him, firmly. "You've got to stay down, okay." She pleaded as her voice broke a little. _

_Sam stayed down and lifted his right arm and touched her vest, as if he was checking to see if she had been shot. "We got him," he mumbled._

_Andy kept her eyes on his bleeding wound. There was so much blood. "We did," she answered, lifting her eyes to meet his. _

"_I told you we would," he added, looking up at her with those soulful dark brown eyes. "I didn't mean 'I told you so' but …"he babbled as he held onto her vest. _

_Andy felt tears stinging her eyes, but held them back. "I know what you meant," she told him as she brushed her fingers through his hair. _

"_I gotta get up," he said, lifting his head. _

_Andy gently pushed his head back down, running her fingers through his hair, trying to calm him. "No, Sam, you've got to stay down. Please Sam, you've got to relax okay," she pleaded as she chocked a few tears back and slid her hand down his face, stroking his cheek."Just stay down, it's gonna be fine …" _

"Detective Swarek's family?" the doctor called out as he entered the room, removing his scrub cap from his head and walked towards the group of uniformed Officers that had gathered.

Andy got to her feet followed by everyone else that was seated in the waiting room area. "Can we see him?" she pleaded as tears formed in her eyes.

The Doctor absorbed in the brunette cop. "Are you family?" he asked with sympathetic eyes.

Andy sniffled and shook her head. "We work together," she admitted with heartache.

The Doctor exhaled a sigh. "I'm sorry, family only." He voiced as he turned to the nurse as she passed him the patients file.

Frank stepped forward, his wife holding tightly to his hand. "I'm Staff Sergeant Frank Best, Sam's Boss." He informed the doctor around his age. "Is there anything you can tell us, Doctor? How is he doing?"

The Doctor lifted his deep blue orbs from the page and looked at the darker man in the white shirt. "According to Detective Swarek's file, there are three people listed as next of kin. Sarah Swarek-Evans, Oliver Shaw and Andy McNally," he shared. "Are any of those three here?"

Andy lifted her tear-filled eyes and looked at the Doctor. "I'm Andy McNally," she blurted out, gobsmacked. "Um, Oliver is a patient here and Sarah is his sister but hasn't arrived yet. She's been contacted and is on her way."

The darked haired male doctor nodded his head. "Miss McNally," he greeted in a solemn tome. "He is stable but not awake it," he shared. "He's in ICU at the moment but will be getting transferred to another room within the hour. It was touch and go for a while but we managed to repair the necessary damage to his lower abdomen and if he gets through the next 24 for 48 hours without any complications, then we have hopes for a quick recovery. Don't get me wrong, it will take the next several weeks before he is up to 100% again and we don't expect him to wake for the next few hours yet."

"Can we see him?" Frank asked with a tinge of apprehension in his tone, Noelle right by his side.

Beau switched his focus onto the darker man. "Only two at a time," he answered and waited for the group to choose which two he would be taking back with him.

Everyone Officer remaining in the waiting room looked straight at Andy.

Andy was still processing the news about being one of Sam's _next of kin's _along with _everything else_ when she saw everyone turn and look at her. She was stunned that they all thought of her first. She was honoured, but couldn't just yet. Andy shook her head. "I'll see him later," she told them, quietly. "You and Noelle go," she told her boss, knowing that they were like family to him and should see him. "I have to go tell Oliver that Sam is okay," she said doing her best to break down.

Noelle gave the younger cop a sad smile and nod of the head before she turned and looked at the doctor.

He turned and walked away. Noelle and Frank followed close behind.

Andy felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her eyes onto Chris. He was looking at her with empathy.

"You okay?" he asked with compassion.

Andy swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "I'm fine," she whispered as tears swelled in her eyes. "He's fine … we're gonna be fine," she said as sadness laced her voice.

Chris pulled his friend into his arms and gave her a hug, knowing that she needed one right now. Andy hugged him back and closed her eyes as she exhaled a long breath that she didn't realize she had been holding.

The two hugged for a long minute before Andy pulled back and wiped her eyes from the few tears that had escaped. She then turned and looked at Dov and Gail who were looking at her with concern. Holly was standing behind Gail, but had a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm glad Swarek's gonna be alright," Gail voiced with sincerity. "But we're gonna head out now," she shared, grabbing Holly's hand. "We'll see you around," she added.

Andy sniffled and nodded her head. "Drive safe and I'll see you around," she voiced, clearing her throat.

Holly and Gail then walked off.

Andy turned her eyes back onto her unofficial brothers. _She really loved them like brothers. They were always there for one another – no matter what._ "You guys should head home, also. Get some rest, it's been a long day and we're all running empty."

Chris nodded his head and Dov patted her on the shoulder.

"Okay," Dov said. "But if you need anything or to talk … call us," he told her as they turned away and walked off.

Andy let a few tears slip from her eyes as she watched them go. She reached into her pant pocket and dialed Traci's number.

* * *

**Room 88**

Ten minutes later Andy entered Oliver's room as she slid her cellphone back into her pocket and stood in the doorway. Only a minute ago she had ended her call with her best friend, she had also cried over the phone and Traci managed to calm her down. Andy had wiped her eyes and hoped that they weren't too red. She didn't want to worry Oliver; he had already been through enough already.

Andy's eyes landed on the sleeping cop. Her mentor. Her friend. And at times – her big brother. He was family. Celery was lying by his side in his arms, holding his hand with her eyes closed.

Celery sensed a new presence in the room and opened her eyes, looking towards the door. She spotted the younger brunette with a sad soul and could see that she was in emotional pain but was trying to put on a brave façade.

"Hey Andy," she greeted her in a soft tone. "Come in," she offered with a smile.

Andy took a few steps into the room. "I don't want to wake him," she answered in a soft tone.

Celery waved the comment off with her free hand. "He has to wake up soon anyway," she supplied in a carefree tone. "How are you doing? How is Sam? Noelle was in here a little over an hour ago and told Oliver about the shooting. We're waiting for an update."

Andy made her way towards her friend's bed as she dropped her eyes to Oliver's sleeping form. He looked so relaxed. "He's uh …" she began as a sobbed escaped her throat.

Oliver's eyes shot open and he looked in the brunette cop's direction. He had been a wake since Andy entered the room, talking had woken him. "Andy," he voiced with trepidation. "Is Sam …" he couldn't even say the words. _He couldn't lose another brother. _

Andy shook her head as tears filled her eyes. "No," she answered, realizing how her reaction must have looked to her friend. "He's fine, Oliver. I'm sorry that I scared you," she apologized as she stopped on the opposite side of the bed from Celery. "He's gonna be fine, he is still asleep but his doctor is positive for a full recovery. Um, Frank and Noelle are in there now," she revealed with a sniffle.

Oliver looked at his friend with compassion and reached for her hand with his free hand. _He knew that she still was still in love with Sam and vice versa. He just wished they would stop fighting it and get back together where they belonged._ "Hey, McNally," he spoke in a soft tone. "Everything is going to be okay now, we're _all _gonna be okay now."

Andy let the tears full freely. "We could have lost him, Oliver," she sobbed, emotion thick in her voice. "We almost did."

Oliver's eyes filled with tears, but he held them in. "But we didn't," he supplied with a firm tone and squeezed her hand. "You know as well as I do that Sam is stubborn and strong. He would never give up without a fight. As long as there is _something_ worth _living_ for, Sam would fight to the end."

Andy sniffled and nodded her head as she released a shaky breath.

* * *

Ten minutes later Andy was sitting on the right side of Oliver's bed as Andy walked him through the night's events up to the shooting after he asked her to fill him in since Noelle hadn't been there. She left a few details _and _confessions out of the story.

"… I rode in the ambulance with him to the hospital and he lost conscious just before we arrived," she shared, reliving the story. "I got to see him briefly while they were working on him during surgery but things had been touch and go then. I then went back to the waiting room and waited until the Doctor came an updated us."

Oliver nodded his head.

"Did you know that Sam has you, Sarah and me as his 'Next of Kin'?" she inquired, studying Oliver's reaction.

Oliver's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Uh, I knew that Sarah and I were on the list, but not you. Not that I am surprised, I mean, you're the only woman I have known Sam let get close to him."

Andy was now surprised.

"So, Sarah's not here yet?" he asked, changing the subject.

Andy shook her head, checking her watch. "No, I thought she would be but maybe she got caught in traffic or something. She had said she was leaving right away when I called her a couple of hours ago. I tried calling her before coming in here but it went straight to voice mail. I am sure Sarah will be here soon."

Oliver nodded his head. "I think you should go and get some rest," he told her with compassion. "It's been a long day and we don't want you collapsing from dehydration or something else. I think there is enough of us here, already."

Andy shook her head. "I can't leave," she said. "I promised him that I'm not leaving. I have to be there when he wakes. I will not leave him this time," she promised with determination.

Oliver knew what she meant by _this time. _She was talking about when she went undercover. Oliver knew that something more was going on with them but he would wait till they told him. "Man, I wish I had a burger right about now," he groaned.

Andy released a watery chuckled and reached into her pant pocket, pulling out a candy bar and handed it to her friend. "Always be prepared," she told him.

Oliver grabbed the treat from her and grinned. "You're my best Rookie ever," he proclaimed.

* * *

**Waiting Room**

Andy was re-entering the almost empty waiting room when some woman ran passed her and towards the nurse's station in a panic. Andy barely got a glimpse of the dark haired woman.

"I'm looking for Detective Sam Swarek," a female voice demanded at the nurse's station just off from the waiting room. "He was shot and rushed here a couple of hours ago."

The nurse behind the desk looked up at the darked haired woman with a nod of the head. "Are you family?"

Sarah nodded her head rapidly. "Of course I am friggin family," she replied as a sob escaped her throat. "He's my little brother and …"

"Sarah?" Andy asked the woman as she walked towards the older woman. Even though Andy had spoken to her briefly, that voice was distinctive – just like Sam's.

Sarah turned around at the sound of her name and looked in the direction of the female voice. She recognized it from the cop that had called her a few hours ago. "Officer McNally?" she asked as she made her way towards the younger woman. _So this was Andy McNally, _Sarah thought to herself.

Andy nodded her head as she absorbed in the sight of the older Swarek. Sarah had a striking resembles to her brother with the dark long hair and deep chocolate smouldering eyes, minus the dimples. She was defiantly a beauty with her slender but curvy figure.

Sarah stopped opposite the younger woman. She could tell that Andy had been crying for a long time and was clearly upset over her brother being shot. Sarah knew she shouldn't be surprised, especially if this woman felt the same way her brother felt. Her baby brother wasn't a big talker or sharing his feelings, but one person he often talked about for the last almost four years was _Andy McNally. _

"Hi, Andy," she finally voiced, introducing herself. "I'm Sarah Swarek-Evans and I would have been here sooner, but there was a massive accident in Burlington and it held traffic up for over an hour. I would have called but my stupid phone died. How is he doing? Is he alive?"

Andy nodded her head. "Yes," she informed her. "He is stable and in ICU at the moment but are moving him to a room sometime soon. Frank and No…" she explained as her words trailed off once she spotted said people walking towards her.

The Best's spotted Andy talking with the Sam's older sister. Noelle had actually met her a couple of times since the many years of knowing Sam, but it had been at least four years since she last saw the female Swarek.

"Sarah," Noelle voiced as they stopped just before the two women.

Sarah spun around and acknowledgement washed over her when she saw the familiar face and automatically pulled Noelle into a hug.

* * *

**ICU**

After having a quick conversation with Frank and Noelle, Sarah had said her goodbyes to them with promise to catch up again before she went back home – but Sarah wasn't going home until she knew that her little brother was going to be okay.

Sarah and Andy entered the room and both women froze in the doorway. Sarah looked at her baby brother lying in the bed. Her eyes absorbed in all the machines that surrounded him along with the tubes that he was connected to. Sam was attached to a machine that simultaneously measured his heart rate and blood pressure and a little clip on his right index finger that measured his oxygen saturation. He had a breathing tube down his throat. _He looked so fragile, her big strong brother. The protector in her family. _Sarah felt tears sting her eyes as she entered the room and walked towards his bed.

Andy stayed at the door because her feet were frozen in that spot. She didn't want to intrude on the family moment, plus a part of her was terrified at seeing him so still.

_Oh Sam ... _

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, so this is the first chapter to kick of the story with many, many more to come. I know I am still writing 'Must be doing something right' and there are still several more chapters to come yet … I plan to at least get one chapter of each story out a week. I have chosen a stupid time to do it since work is hectic because of the holiday's season and I am in between house, but I seem to get inspired the most when my life is hectic.

Reviews are appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2 - I'll be there

Disclaimer: *sighs* Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue, but will have great pleasure in toying with the characters. *grins and pulls out McSwarek Voodoo dolls and makes them kiss*

**A/N: Wow … **Thank you for all the amazing reviews. You guys are awesome and it fuels me to write, seriously – they're great for my ego. Feel free to hit me up on twitter, tumblr or PM me if you have a question. I love to hear feedback so I know what the readers like or dislike. I am an open minded person.

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_**"Whenever you faced with what you feel like you can't bare, call on me (Call on me) and I'll be (and I'll be). Beside you until the end … oh lift your head up and stand tall, promise I won't let you fall. When you reach, I will extend - I'll be there. I'll be there through the rough winds, rain and ice. I'll be there when the night's falls and troubles rise. I'll be there if you need me, no matter what how or when - my friend, I'll be there."**_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

_**Several months ago **_

_Andy was lying in bed laughing so much that her sides were starting to ache from all the laughter because Sam was teasing her."Okay, okay," she surrender as she raised her hands up. "You win."_

_Sam straddled her, grinning down at her. "I always do," he answered, placing a kiss against her lips._

_Andy placed her hands behind his head and deepened the kiss as she ran her hands through his hair. The kiss quickly escalated and grew faster and hotter, clothes soon disappeared and the two partners were in the throes of passion within minutes. The first round was quick and fast and the second time was much slower, more passionate as they slowly explored each other – lasting much longer. _

_**A couple of hours later**_

_Andy tossed and turned. "No, no," she mumbled in her sleep. "Please, come back … don't go," she mumbled waking up and tears filled her eyes as she began to sob. Andy let her eyes adjust to the darkest and tears continued to pour from her eyes as a few sobs escaped her throat. She was doing her best to stop so she didn't wake Sam, but she couldn't. The past memory of her mother leaving was a nightmare that she hadn't had in a while, but still upset her even though she was an adult. Andy knew the reason for the nightmare was because she had talked to her mother earlier that day and they had had an argument. _

_All of a sudden Andy felt two strong arms wrap around her and pulled her close. She felt Sam's body mould against hers. He held onto her so tightly like a secure blanket. "Andy," he mumbled, half asleep. "Hey, I'm right here," he told her in a gravel tone. "I'm holding onto you and I'm never letting you go," he promised in his sleeping tone as his held her close and placed a kiss to the side of her neck. _

_Andy felt the tears slowly disappear along with the fear of being abandoned; a fear that had stuck with her since the day her mother had left. It was the first time that she had ever felt this way. She felted loved and known. _

"Sam," Andy mumbled as her eyes shot open and she sat up in the chair with a jolt, her heart was pounding so damn hard. That's when she remembered that she was in the hospital and must have fallen asleep in the chair beside his bed. It was Saturday morning.

Andy looked down at the leather jacket in her hands; the nurse had given it to Sarah last night and Sarah had given it to her to look after. Andy had found the pocket watch on the inside pocket. She turned her eyes onto the injured Detective who was still asleep. Andy glanced at her watch and noticed that it was just after five am. Andy had woken a few times during the night every time a nurse came in to check on him.

Andy was still in her uniform minus her gun. She had given that to Traci last night to take home. Andy knew that she would have to go home at some point to change out of her uniform. Andy also knew that she would eventually have to go back to the station to file her report on last night's events and deal with the aftermath of keeping Marlo secret. It was a possible that she could lose her job, but that didn't matter right now –only Sam being okay – did.

Sarah had gone back to Sam's house late last night, but Andy couldn't leave. She wanted to be here when he woke. Her eyes turned towards the heart monitor machine and she watched as rhythmic lines and the beeping sound that came from the machine. Sam still hadn't woken up since his surgery, but the doctor wasn't too worried.

Andy stood to her feet and carefully climbed onto the right side of the bed, opposite to all the machines that Sam was hooked to on the left. She turned on her side reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "I'm right here, Sam. I'm right here and I'm never gonna let you go," she promised, closing her eyes as a few tears slipped from them.

* * *

**07:33am**

Traci entered her partner's room with a tote bag in hand and stopped just a few metres in when she noticed her best friend curled up to her injured partner's side. A sad smile touched her lips as she bit down on it. She knew that Andy still loved Sam and vice versa, the two just needed to air everything out. Traci just hoped that the two worked it out soon, ever since she had been partnered with Sam – the two had become friends of sorts. He was a good guy.

Traci released a heavy sigh as she walked further into the room, rounding the bed. She walked towards Andy's side and softly touched her friend's shoulder. "Andy," she voiced. "Andy, wake up."

Andy heard her name being called and began to stir. She felt her heavy eyelids start to open; they fluttered for a moment before opening. The first thing she saw was a sleeping Sam Swarek. He looked like he was just sleeping, only with a breathing tube down his throat and a few machines hooked to him. She just wanted him to open those beautiful soulful eyes.

"Andy," Traci spoke again.

Andy turned her head and absorbed in her friend in her usual Detective's clothes. A tote bag was dangling from her arm. "Trace," she voiced. "What time is it?"

Traci gave her friend a soft smile. "It's a little after seven thirty, sweetie. I just stopped in on my way to work to drop off a change of clothes for you," she explained, gesturing to the tote bag at the end of the bed. "I knew that you would still be here and the uniform must be uncomfortable by now," she supplied.

Andy released a tired chuckle. "Uncomfortable passed several hours ago," she commented. "I think it's now moulded on me," she joked. "How did you get in here so early?"

Traci released a soft chuckle as she placed the tote bag on the end of the bed. She then showed her badge. "This thing does come in handy from time to time," she supplied.

Andy sat up and ran her fingers through her long hair. She had pulled it out last night.

"So … how's he doing?" Traci inquired, her eyes landing on her best friend.

Andy released a stifled sigh. "The operation went well and there were no problems during the night, so that's a good sign. We're just waiting for him to wake up," she supplied, numbly.

Traci folded her arms.

A minute of silence filled the room.

"Andy," she voiced. "What exactly is going on with you and Sam? I understand you being there for him when he got shot and riding with him in the hospital … but last night in the waiting room with Nick … I don't even know what is going on with you two, we've never _discussed _it and …"

Andy bit down on her lip. She felt so guilty for not telling her best friend about the new updates in her life. "I'm sorry, Trace. I know we haven't spent a lot of time together lately and I've been a crappy friend since Nick and I - I don't even know what to call it … friends with benefits. He was a distraction if I am being honest," she admitted, adverting her eyes.

Traci placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I know it's been hard seeing Sam with Marlo since your return from UC and I don't blame you for wanting a _distraction," _she supplied in a friendly tone. "But whatever is going on with you and Sam needs to be sorted. I love you, Andy, but take it from me – life is too short to hold off on the real thing. If Sam is the real thing -"

Andy nodded her head as tears filled her eyes. "I love him, Trace. I do," she confessed. "He is the real thing. Sam is who I picture my life with, kids, dogs and a house."

Traci felt relief wash over her at hearing her friend declaration. "I know, sweetie. But he needs to know that," she divulged.

"I told him," Andy admitted, bitting down on her bottom lip. "I told him on the way to the hospital. I was just talking to keep him awake and told him a story about the time we were together how loved he made me feel. I told him that he was my story and that I loved him."

Traci was gobsmacked at her friend confession. "Wow," she simply answered as her phone beeped, indicating a new message. She retrieved the phone from her jacket pocket and looked down at name that flashed across the screen. A smile tickled the corners of her mouth.

"Steve Peck?" Andy guessed, narrowing her eyes onto her friend.

Traci lifted her eyes from the screen and bit down on her lip.

"I'm happy for you," the brunette told the female Detective. "You deserve to be happy again, Trace and anyone can see that Steve does that."

Traci looked at her friend with compassion. "Yeah, he does." She admitted with a soft smile. "Look, I have to get to work and I am guessing that you won't be in," she assumed.

Andy nodded her head.

"I'll let Frank know … we'll catch up later," she told her best friend, patting her shoulder. "Let me know if anything changes with him," she added, nodding her head towards her sleeping partner.

Andy nodded her head as she turned her eyes back onto Sam, apprehension washed across her face.

Traci voiced. "He'll be okay," she assured her best friend.

Andy just nodded as she watched her friend walk away and head towards the door.

* * *

**15****th**** Division - 08:03am **–** Parade**

Frank looked down at his Officers and Detectives that had assembled in the room for Parade. There was a solemn atmosphere. He knew that the last 24 hours had taken a great toll over his Officers and they were still sorting out the mess.

"Good morning everyone," he greeted his men and women. His eyes fallen on his wife who was back in uniform and sitting at the back of the room beside Detective Nash, giving him a comforting look of support. Frank turned his eyes back to the centre of the room. "Now I would like to start off with welcoming back one of fifteenth's finest Officer Noelle Best," he announced with pride.

A few Offices and Detectives clapped their hands and 'welcome back's' were voiced. Noelle just nodded her head in response.

Frank waited for the acknowledgments for his wife to die down before he cleared his throat. "Now I know that we're all still reeling from the events of yesterday and last night. This Division was under attack and because of that we have two Officers and one Detective in hospital. Now Officer Shaw should be able to return back to work within a week, but as for Officer Price and Detective Swarek … we're still in limbo."

Frank paused for a moment as he thought about his god daughter and good friend in hospital. "We are also an Officer down because Officer Marlo Cruz has decided to take a leave of absence because of the events that occupied yesterday," he supplied, not giving the full truth about Marlo's suspension. He figured that his people had been through enough.

Mumbles filled the room. Chris, Dov and Gail were seated together. Nick was sitting behind them, his eyes glued to the door.

"But even though we're having it tough at the moment, I know that we'll get through this and only come out stronger. So the orders are on the board … Serve, Protect and just take it easy out there," he told them with a curt nod of the head.

People started to get up and leave the room, some walked towards the board to check their orders and others turned to face each other and chat.

Gail hurried over towards Noelle and smiled brightly at her. "Hey Noelle," she greeted. "We're riding together today … excited?"

Noelle raised an eyebrow at the perky blonde. "Busting at the seams," she retorted, sarcastically. "But I am glad to be back in this uniform," she answered with sincerity. "I love my little girl, but I miss the job."

Traci patted her friend on the shoulder. "And we missed you," she told her, genuinely.

* * *

**St Michael's Hospital - 08:33am – Room 108**

Andy was looking out the window, down at the garden area below. She had the television going in the background and some morning news show was on but Andy was vaguely listening to it. The attack on the 15th Division had played a few times already over the news. Her mind was elsewhere. She had changed into the clothes that Traci had bought her thirty minutes ago when the Doctor had come in to check on Sam. Andy was wearing Sam's leather jacket over it, the pocket watch was tucked safely inside.

They were still waiting for him to wake up. Andy couldn't understand why he hadn't woken up yet. She had received a few messages from Chris, Dov and Nick. She had sent them a group texted informing them that she won't be coming in today. She just couldn't be there today – the place where he got shot.

"Andy?" a soft but gravel female voiced called. Andy turned around and spotted the female Swarek enter the room with goodies in hand and a warm smile. "Good morning," she greeted her in friendly tone, but looked tired.

Andy turned and began to walk towards the thirty-nine year old. "Hey Sarah … how did you sleep?" she asked, concerned.

Sarah noticed that the brunette cop had changed out of her uniform and into a pair of dark denim jeans, white v neck cotton sweaters and black ballet flats. She was also wearing her brother's jacket and her hair was down. "Well enough," she answered. "It was weird being in his house without him just down the hall. I wasn't sure if you had eaten yet," she proclaimed, holding up the paper bag and coffee.

The two women met at the end of the hospital bed. Sarah handed Andy the coffee and paper bag. Andy gratefully took it them the woman. "Thank you," she recognized.

"I wasn't sure how you took it, so I made it the way Sam drinks it," Sarah offered. "How did you sleep?"

Andy inhaled the strong aroma and felt her senses jump alive. "Okay," she told the older woman as she took a sip of the hot beverage and took a seat on the end of his bed at Sam's feet. She placed the paper bag beside her.

Sarah walked towards the chair that Andy must have slept in and plopped down in it. She focused her eyes onto the younger woman and bit down on her lip. "Can I ask you something?"

Andy lifted her eyes to met Sarah's and nodded her head.

Sarah took a breath before she asked. "What's the deal with you and my brother?" she inquired. "Because the last time I talked to him, which was a few weeks ago – he was dating some chick named Marlo but things weren't going so well. It was the first time he had actually mentioned her to me. Apparently she had kept some big secret from him and he mentioned how he thinks that he missed his chance of being with the person that matters the most to him. He didn't say her name but I knew he was talking about you. You're the only woman that he has mentioned in very long time."

Andy turned her eyes from Sarah and onto the sleeping Detective. _He talked to his sister about them? Maybe there was still hope for them. _"It's complicated," she simply answers as moisture filled her eyes. "We hurt each other and …" she paused for a moment, looking down at the take away coffee cup in her hand as a few tears slipped from her eyes. "I thought it was too late to ever fix things, but a few minutes before he got shot – Sam told me he wanted _me _to be happy and he blamed himself for everything that went wrong with us," she sniffled as a few tears ran down her cheeks. "He wanted _me _to be happy above his own happiness and in that moment – I knew. I knew that I could never love anyone as much as I love him."

Sarah looked at the brunette cop with tear filled eyes.

* * *

**Room 88 - 09:03am **

Oliver was awake, had been for twenty odd minutes now. His fingers were trailing up and down along Celery's arms as he held her sleeping form close. She had her head resting on his chest and her arm draped over him. Oliver still couldn't get over how lucky he was to have this beautiful woman in his life. He wanted to let her sleep as long as she needed since she had been up most of the night looking after him and making sure he had woken ever hour. It was around four am when she finally fell asleep.

"Daddy," he heard Paige's voice, quiver.

Oliver turned his eyes towards the door and saw his girls and their mother entering the room. All had worried looks on their faces. _Frank must have called them this morning, _Oliver figured.

Celery mumbled something before her eyes began to flutter and she woke up. It took a moment for her to process that they will still in the hospital room and Oliver's daughters and ex wife were here. She slowly sat up and turned her eyes onto her boyfriend. He was smiling at her and she smiled back. His smile was one of the things she loved about him.

"Morning," she whispered as she touched his lips.

Oliver was still smiling. "Morning Beautiful," he greeted her with a kiss. "The girls are here," he told her.

Celery chuckled and shook her head. "I see that, Dumbo. I'll let you have some time with them and go grab us some coffees," she told him as she brushed another quick kiss against his lips before sliding off the bed.

"You don't have to go," Isabelle Shaw voiced as she stopped at the foot of her father's bed.

Celery turned her eyes onto the teenage girl, in awe at her kindness. _She was her father's daughter._ "Okay," she said answered, quietly.

The three girls crawled onto their father's bed and Celery stood just off it and watched them. Zoey stood beside her.

* * *

**Room 108 - 10:13am**

Andy's eyes were fixed on the television that was position on the wall directly across from the bed, on brackets. She was sitting in the chair beside his bed. Sarah had left the room ten minutes ago to call home and check in on her family.

"I'm surprised that the room doesn't look like a gift shop by now," Luke commented as he entered the room, his eyes looking at the brunette with a smirk.

Andy turned her head in the blonde Detective's direction. Surprise washing over her at the sight of Luke Callaghan walking towards the bed. She glared at him after the surprise disappeared. "That's not funny," she snapped, hurt evident in her voice. "Sam was just _shot _last night, Luke." She reminded him, her voice cracking.

Luke instantly feels like an ass. "Andy," he voiced. "I'm sorry … I know you and Sam have this _thing _between you and are together even when you're not officially together …"

"Luke," she interrupted. "What do you want?"

Luke looked at his ex and could tell that she was hurting. He hated seeing her hurting even though they ended things badly, but that had been a long time ago. He wanted her to be happy. "I'm here to talk about Marlo and that secret of her's that you neglected to tell anyone," he supplied in an official tone.

Andy bit down on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I knew it was wrong not to inform Frank or the white shirts, but I made a promise to her and she promised me that she was managing it. I kept a close eye on her, Luke."

"Yeah, well look what ended up happening," he voiced sternly, gesturing to Sam. "She kept pushing Forde until he snapped and went on a vendetta, causing two more Officers to be hospitalized. God dammit, Andy, it could have been a lot worse. And it turned out that he didn't even murder the boy, it was his brother."

Andy's knew that Luke had a right to be angry … _wait what?_ Her eyes widened in shook. "What?" she vocalised.

Luke nodded his head. "Marlo figured it out just before you and Swarek discovered Forde in the station. He's behind bar's now."

Andy was gobsmacked.

Luke could see that Andy was still going through the emotions and processing the information. "How long has Sam known for?" he inquired.

Andy turned her eyes onto his sleeping form. "I told him during the Forde case when we found out he had been attacked after she had been acting a little wired. I was worried that she was off her meds."

Luke folded his arms and inhaled a long breathe. He held it for a moment before exhaling. _Jesus Christ! _

"What happens now?" she asked, hesitantly.

Luke ran a hand across his face. "I should report all this to Frank," he supplied. "He already knows about Marlo being bipolar. Her little obsession with Kevin Forde kind of made that clear when we found her _research _in the basement. You need to come to the station so we can get your statement about the events of yesterday. We also need Swarek's, but that one well have to wait until he's awake. You'll let me know when that happens?"

Andy nodded her head.

"I'll see you around," he said, turning and walked away. He stopped just before the door and turned around to see Andy looking at Sam. "He'll be okay," Luke assured her before he exited the room.

* * *

**10:44am**

Frank entered the hospital room and his eyes fell onto his friend as a wave of sadness washed over him. "Oh Sammy," he muttered, shaking his head as he walked towards the bed. "Why weren't you wearing a damn vest," he spoke out loud.

Andy walked out of the attached bathroom and discovered her boss standing at the foot of Sam's bed. "Hey Sir," she addressed the older man.

Frank turned his eyes towards the brunette. "McNally," he addressed in a serious tone with a nod of the head. "I was hoping to find you here," he added.

Andy nodded her head, bitting down on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry that I didn't call in this morning to let you know that I wouldn't be at work but Traci said she would let you know. And I figured since everything with Marlo that …"

Frank crossed his arms. "Marlo? Oh about you and Sam knowing about her bipolar? Luke mentioned something about that and I know it has to be dealt with, but for now we have to put a pin in it. As you know, we're a little short staffed at the moment with two Officers here, Marlo on suspension until the investigation has been handled and Swarek out of action until further notice." He supplied. "Noelle had to come back to work this morning and I could really use you too. I will let you have today off, but I need you there tomorrow, McNally. I know you want to be here for Sam, but we need you too."

Andy turned her eyes onto Sam. _She didn't want to leave him, but did she have a choice in the matter? _She nodded her head. "Okay," she answered, numbly.

Frank nodded his head. A moment of silence passed between them as they both looked at the sleeping Detective. Another minute passed before Sarah re-entered the room.

Frank smiled at the older Swarek. "Hey Sarah," he greeted her.

Sarah walked towards Frank smiled at him. "Hey Frank," she greeted him with a sigh.

Frank smiled back. "How are you doing?"

She turned her eyes onto her little brother. "I just want him to wake up so I can yell at him for not wearing a damn vest," she vented.

Frank released a tired chuckle. "Get in line," he joked.

* * *

**A/N: **So … writing a lot of this chapter I was actually in tears. When my characters are in pain – I am. Anyway, I am off to Sydney today for 4 days, I am taking my laptop with me, but I won't have internet access, so hopefully I have another chapter for both of my fic's written so I can post them when I get home on Sunday.

Reviews are appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3 - Roses

Disclaimer: *sighs* Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue, but will have great pleasure in toying with the characters. *grins and pulls out McSwarek Voodoo dolls and makes them kiss*

**A/N: Wow … **Thank you for all the amazing reviews. You guys are awesome and it fuels me to write, seriously – they're great for my ego. Feel free to hit me up on twitter, tumblr or PM me if you have a question. I love to hear feedback so I know what the readers like or dislike. I am an open minded person.

Hi everyone … so sorry for the delay on the chapter but I didn't get much writing down when I was in Sydney and this week has been hectic at work. Now after doing some inquiring, it has come to my attention that the season finale was in December, so I hope that fits with the story line.

* * *

"What if I told you that your time was up? That as every second passes there's a moment gone? And in twenty three hours the sun is gonna set, forever. Would you hug a little tighter? Would you let go first? Would you focus on love and then forget the hurt? Living the moment and wish your life away?

How would you spend your last night on earth? Would you kiss your enemies say sorry first? Would you take enough time to say your last goodbyes …"

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

**11:41am **

Sarah was seated in the chair beside Sam's bed as she watched an old movie that was currently playing on the television. Andy was looking out the window as her mind was elsewhere. _She just wished that Sam would wake up already. She didn't understand why he hadn't. His brain activity was normal and his heartbeat was steady. What was keeping him in his sleeping state? _Andy hoped that he was awake before she had to go into work tomorrow. She didn't want him to wake up and for her not to be here. Sam has always been there for her when she needed him.

_**Thirteen months ago**_

_Andy let out a heavy sigh and turned her head to the side of her bed. She glanced at the lit up green numbers on her alarm clock that was sitting on her bedside table - 02:02am it read. Andy still couldn't believe that she was awake and had been for an hour now. Sam had passed out not long after pleasing her and they were both still naked under the sheet._

_She turned her head to the left and her eyes rested on the sleeping Detective. He looked peaceful. _

"_Sam," she whispered, looking at his sleeping form. He had an arm draped over her stomach and was lying on his side, facing her. "Sam!" she said a little louder, lifting her hand and running it through his black hair._

_Sam grumbled a response but kept his eyes shut, his arm tightening around her._

_Andy felt a smile tickle her lips as she turned her body to face his, lying on her side. "Are you awake?" she asked him in a soft tone._

_Sam's eyes remained shut. "No," he mumbled as his fingers began to trail along her bare back. _

_Andy grinned. "Really? How come you answered me then?" she asked, her tone laced with amusement. _

"_Talking in my sleep," he mumbled as his hand slid under the sheet and he began trailing a pattern along her lower back. _

_Andy bit down on her lip as she felt a shiver run down her spine. His touch always made her tingle. "I can't sleep," she shared, letting out a sigh._

_Sam opened on eye. "So you don't want me to sleep either?" he grumbled, opening the other eye. _

_Andy gave him a doe eyed look. "We could always talk," she suggested as one hand rested on his shoulder and the other traced a pattern across his chest. _

_Sam just gave her a 'yeah right' look. "It's the middle of the night and you wanna talk?" he questioned. "How are you not tired after the night we had plus the hectic night shift on top of that?"_

_Andy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't tire easy," she told him. "Plus it was technically last night that we had the incredible workout and I bounce back quick, dimples," she told him with a saucy grin. _

_Sam grinned back, revealing said dimples. "I am glad you only call me that when no one is around," he voiced in a gravelled tone. "If Oliver or Jerry ever heard you call me that, they would never let me live it down."_

_Andy gave him a mischief look. "So I now have something to hold over your head?" she teased. "I guess you'll have to stay awake and talk to me until I fall asleep, otherwise I might be too tired for tomorrow's shift and it could slip out," she playfully joked. _

_Sam raised an eyebrow at his beautiful partner. "Are you threatening me, McNally?" he questioned with a smirk as he snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him, pressing the naked bodies together. _

_Andy felt her heart pick up a few beats as she stared into those smoulder chocolate orbs that left her breathless. "Threaten is a harsh word," she said in a throaty whisper. "I prefer firm negotiating," she told him, leaning forward and brushing a kiss against his lips. _

_Sam looked at her with amazement. "Oh really? And where did you learn that?" he questioned as a smile tugged at his lips. _

_Andy smirked. "From you," she quipped. "I learnt all my negotiating techniques from you among a few others things."_

_Sam couldn't wipe the grin from his face. "Oh really? Well I know one thing that will defiantly put you to sleep," he said in a suggestive tone._

_Andy felt a smile tug at her lips as she laced her arms around his neck. She could feel his erection pressing against her. "Really," she asked, grinning from ear to ear. "Well, I think you're just gonna have to prove ..."_

_Sam leaned forward and crashed his lips against her's, causing the words to die in her mouth. _

"Andy?"

Andy was pulled from the past memory at the sound of her name being called.

"Andy?" Sarah's voiced. "Andy?" she repeated as she touched the younger woman's shoulder.

Andy felt a hand on her shoulder as she turned her head around and absorbed in the older darked haired woman standing a few feet from her. "Uh?" she mumbled. "Sorry," she apologized, focusing her attention on Sarah. "Did you say something? Is he awake?" she asked, turning her eyes towards the hospital bed. Disappointment washed over Andy as she realized that he was still asleep.

Sarah squeezed the brunette cop's shoulder. "Not yet," she sighed. "How about we go get some lunch?" she suggested, dropping her hand from Andy's shoulder.

Andy shook her head. "I'm not leaving him," she answered, vehement. "I need to be here just in case he wakes up," she added as she walked towards the bed. "I need him to know that I didn't leave him. I just – I need to be here," Andy insisted as she sat down in the chair beside his bed and fixed her eyes on the sleeping Sam Swarek.

Sarah looked at the young brunette with concern. _She could see that Andy was hurting as much as Sam had been over the last year. Was she talking about their break up? Sam had been vague about the details but Sarah knew that things had been complicated between them since Jerry's death. Her brother had taken it hard and blocked everyone out, including Andy. _Sarah remembered how bereaved her big strong brother had looked. He had stayed with her and her family for a week and barley left the guest room the entire visit. She had tried talking to him about it, but Sam had refused. She knew that he had just needed time to process it.

Sarah watched Andy watch Sam with raw emotion and it broke her heart. _It was obvious that Andy still loved her brother. What Sarah didn't understand was – why they aren't together if they were obviously still in love each other? Andy had admitted that much to her a couple of hours ago and she knew that her brother still loved Andy. Did they both have that big of an ego or were too stubborn to get over their pride and admit defeat? _Sarah just hoped that they both figured it out before it's too late.

"Well I need a break from here," Sarah voiced as she walked towards the door.

Oliver and Celery entered the room, holding hands.

Sarah stopped a few metres from the door and a smile splashed along her lips. "Ollie," she acknowledged her brother's best friend, noticing that he looked a bit battered and bruised. Sarah then noticed an attractive woman holding his hand. _This must be the new girlfriend,_ she thought to herself. Her feet started moving again and stopped opposite the blue eyed cop and the unknown woman and within a matter of seconds she was standing in front of Oliver and hugged him.

"It's so good to see you," she told him, pulling back a minute later with a smile.

Oliver smiled back at the older woman. "You too, Sarah. God, it's been too long," he told her as he pulled Celery into a side hug. "This is Celery, the woman who makes my life better with each passing day. Celery, this is Sarah – Sam's older sister," he introduced.

Celery brushed, placing a hand on his chest as he held her close. _He was always saying sweet things like that. _

Sarah smiled at the younger woman. "_Celery_," she repeated. "Wow, you're beautiful. Sam was exaggerating when he said how happy you make Ollie here."

Celery was a little speechless. "Um … thank you," she answered as Oliver squeezed her side. "Oliver's a great guy," she answered with sincerity, turning her eyes onto him. He was staring back at her with a grin.

Sarah was glad that Oliver was happy again. She knew things had been rough with Zoey over the last few years and she was glad that he had found someone who made him smile again. They looked happy. "Well, I was just heading out to pick up lunch for us and take a break from this room," she told the blue eyed cop, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But we will catch up again before I head back home, okay. I will be in town until Sammy it sick of tired of me," she promised. "It was nice meeting you, Celery."

Celery smiled at the darked haired older woman and nodded her head. "You two, Sarah."

Sarah smiled before she walked pass the happy couple and headed for the door.

Andy had stood up from her chair and watched Sam's sister with Oliver and Celery with folded arms. Andy wasn't shocked that Sarah and Oliver seem to know each other – both were important people in Sam's life.

"Hey Andy," Celery greeted the young brunette cop that was looking in their direction, but seemed in a daze.

Andy focused her attention on the older woman. "Celery," she greeted back. "Oliver," she added with a soft smile. "I see that you're finally breaking out of this place."

"I really needed a burger," he joked.

Andy released a tired laugh as she ran her fingers through her long dark chocolate hair.

Oliver's eyes absorbed in his friend's appearance and he noticed that she had changed from her uniform which meant that someone – most likely Nash – had bought her in some clothes since he knew that Andy had been determined not to leave the hospital. Oliver observed that she was also wearing Sam's leather jacket. She also looked tired, like she hadn't gotten much sleep.

Celery looked towards Sam. "How's he doing?" she asked the nice female cop.

Andy exhaled a deep sigh as she looked at the sleeping Detective. "His vitals are steady and he is breathing on his own but they just want to keep the tube in there until he wakes up. I just don't know why he hasn't yet."

"I am sure he will soon," Celery assured her. "And he'll be back to his snarky, sarcastic, charming self."

Oliver was watching Celery and Andy talk. He was glad that the two got along. They were both important to him, Andy was like a little sister and Celery held his heart. Oliver shifted his focus onto his best friend. It wasn't something that he was use to seeing. The strong, tall, invincible Sam Swarek just lying there – motionless. In over the decade that Oliver had known his friend, this was the first time he had _ever _see Sam like this. He felt like crying.

"Oh Sammy," he whispered.

Both women turned their eyes onto Oliver and quietness fell over the room.

* * *

**ICU – 12:25p.m**

Dov was looking through the open blinds of the glass window and onto his unconscious girlfriend. He still couldn't believe that the last twenty four hours had been real. That Chloe had been shot and was still fighting for her life, even though she was stable at the moment. Dov knew in his heart that she needed this surgery to survive. He still couldn't believe that she was married and hadn't told him – Miss 'open book' keeping a secret like that. Cole had admitted that they had been separated for a while now.

Dov turned his eyes onto her _husband _who was sitting beside her bed, reading a book_. _He noticed that Officer West Cole had changed out of his uniform and was now dressed casual in jeans and a sweater. _Had he gone home last night or this morning? Had he left her side? _Dov still had no idea how she was doing or even if the clot was still a problem. Since West had cut him off last night, the medical staff was keeping tight lipped about her condition.

"Can I help you?" an unfamiliar female voice spoke behind him.

Dov was pulled from his thoughts and turned around. He turned his eyes onto the blonde haired woman that looked around his age. She had similar traits to Chloe, the same eyes. The only difference between the two – was a hugh baby bump. She looked around six maybe seven months along. "I'm Officer Dov Epstein, I -"

"You're Chloe's new boyfriend," Lolo acknowledged, placing her hand on her swollen stomach. "Wow, my sister has taste," she commented. "It's nice to meet you, Chloe talks about you all the time when we chat. I guess you know about West then?"

Dov nodded his head. _He was still trying to get over the shock of finding out that Chloe had mentioned him to a family member. He guessed that the sisters were close. _"Yeah, he won't let me see her."

Lolo was watching her little sister's boyfriend closely. "That's West, he can get kinda territorial. Just so you know, him and Chloe have been separated for several months now. It was the reason she transferred, she just needed a change. She wanted to tell you about him but was scared that you would think she is a flake."

Dov didn't know what to say about that. "How is she doing?" he asked, turning his eyes back towards the window.

Lola's eyes followed the Officers and landed on her sister. "It's a waiting game," she admitted. "West said that there is a clot that they are monitoring and are hopeful that it will go down over the next few days. I only got here a hour ago."

"She should have the surgery," he expressed. "I spoke to my dad who is a doctor and he thinks she should have it."

Lolo turned her eyes back onto the blue eyed cop. "What Surgery?" she questioned, puzzled.

Dov turned his eyes onto Chloe's sister.

* * *

**Room 108**

Andy looked down at Sam's pocket watch in her hand and turned it over. She looked down at the inscription on the back of it and tears formed in her eyes. _'To the good times' _was written across it. The last time she had seen Sam looking at this watch was a few months ago during the copy-cat killer in the Ross Perry case. That had been a tough day for everyone.

A knock sounded at the door. Andy lifted her eyes and looked towards the door. She clutched the watch in her hands as her eyes absorbed in the new visit. "Nick," she acknowledged, sliding the pocket watch back in the jacket's pocket. "What are you doing here?"

Nick entered the hospital room and began to make his way towards her. He was still on duty, but needed to see her and figured he would stop by while Dov was visiting Chloe. Nick noticed that she was wearing Sam's jacket. "I've been trying to call you all day and only received one text back which Chris and Dov also got. I know you want to be here for _him, _Andy, but ignoring me completely isn't fair. I am trying to be supportive and give you some space but -"

"What am I suppose to do, Nick?" she cut in, desperation in her voice. "Sam was _shot _less than twenty-four hours ago. He could have _died. _He almost did. My main concern has to be here with _him_," she divulged, knowing that her words might hurt her friend. "I promised him that I wouldn't leave him."

Nick folded his arms and his jaw tightened as he stopped a few feet before the foot of the bed. "It's me or him," he declared. "You can't have us both, Andy. Who can't you live without?"

Andy looked at him piqued. _He was giving her an ultimatum! Right now, right here. _"Him," she answered as realization washed over her. _She couldn't imagine her life without Sam in it. _"I am so sorry Nick but I choose Sam."

Nick felt numb, like someone had punched him in the gut. _He knew this was coming, but it still stung._ "You still love him," he acknowledged.

"I never stopped," Andy admitted, softly. "We should have just stayed friends," she voiced. "I knew that things would never be long term with us. I wanted a distraction and you were there. I know it was wrong but every time I saw Sam with Marlo, it killed me. I wanted to move on, but he was always in the back of my mind."

Nick turned his eyes onto the unconscious patient. He could hear the steady rhythmic beats coming from the machines that he was hooked too. "I was so stupid to even think that I could compare to him," he expressed, feeling foolish. "I knew that you weren't over him, yet I figured I could change your mind, that I could get you to love me like you loved him."

Andy felt a few tears slid down her cheeks as she hugged herself. _She hated hurting people. She didn't want to be the bad guy. _"I'm sorry," she whispered with glassy eyes.

Nick turned and walked from the room.

* * *

**A/N: **So, we don't really know anything about Chloe's family, but I created Lola. The good news is that the next chapter is half written.

Reviews are appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4 - I don't wanna miss a thing

**Disclaimer: *sighs* Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue, but will have great pleasure in toying with the characters. *grins and pulls out McSwarek Voodoo dolls and makes them kiss***

**A/N: **Wow … Thank you for all the amazing reviews. You guys are awesome and it fuels me to write, seriously – they're great for my ego. Feel free to hit me up on twitter, tumblr or PM me if you have a question. I love to hear feedback so I know what the readers like or dislike. I am an open minded person.

So, I have no idea what the visiting hours are in Toronto in their hospitals, so I am making them up … 8am – 7p.m. Now, as I mentioned in the last chapter, the fic is based in Early December because of the cold weather and I really want a McSwarek Christmas.

Now I was hoping to get another chapter of 'Must be Doin Something Right' out, but this one kept calling me back. I have half written the next chapter in 'Must be Doing Something Right' though.

* * *

**"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing. Watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away and dreaming. I could spend my life in this sweet surrender. I could stay lost in this moment forever. Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure."**

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**19:07pm **

Andy was sitting in the chair by Sam's bed again, her eyes fixed on his sleeping form. She had been sitting in the chair for the last couple of minutes since his last lot of visitors had left for the night. Throughout the day, Sam had had several visitors come and go. Mainly other Offices and Detectives from work, but Monica Dunn had even stopped in around midday briefly for a chat and to see Sam's condition. Andy even asked her some medical questions and she answered them for her. Monica had left a few minutes before Nick had arrived and dropped the _ultimatum_ on her. Andy hadn't spoken to Nick since, she feared that their friendship was now ruined.

Dov had even stopped by and informed her that Chloe's family had authorized the surgery, which she went straight into once all the paperwork had been taken care of. Chloe had gotten out of the surgery a couple of hours ago and was doing better. She was still unconscious but the doctors had high hopes that she would pull through and begin the healing process. Andy was glad to hear that Chloe would make it.

The one person that hadn't been in yet was Marlo and Andy had tried calling her a few times throughout the day but it had gone straight to voice mail. She was concerned about her co-worker. Andy had called Traci and asked her if she could track her down and check on her. Traci had back called an hour ago and informed her that Marlo hadn't been into the station at all today and whispers were going around about her being on suspension and being investigated.

_How did this all become such a big mess? _Andy thought to herself. _How did on little secret cause so much damage? _

"You know, it's weird seeing him like this," Sarah spoke up in quite tone, breaking the silence.

Andy turned her eyes on the dark haired woman sitting in the chair beside her, looking at her brother. They had gotten another chair bought in early that day since they both spent a large amount of time here.

Sarah exhaled a deep sigh. "Sammy has always taken the role of 'the protector' in our family. Even though I am the big sister, he was the one always trying to keep me safe – even when we were kids … when I was 13-"

"I know," Andy cut in, placing a hand over Sarah's. "I know, Sam told me about the attack. And I am so sorry that happened to you, no one should ever go through that."

Sarah released a shaky breath. "Yeah, it was hard for a long time. I didn't trust the opposite sex for a long time and everything scared me, every look that a guy gave me … I was just always waiting for the next attacked, you know? … It got so bad that I had to go into therapy after having a break down at school. Therapy helped and after I finished high school, I decided that I wanted to help other kids that had been in my situation. So I studied psychology and am now a therapist for abuse and or attacked children."

Andy remained quiet and just listened.

Sarah turned her eyes onto the pretty brunette cop. "I moved to St Catharines just after graduating because I couldn't be in Toronto anymore. I needed a change and new start. But Sam always watched over me though, even after joining the force. He called a few times each week and even visited at least once a week, just to check in. He was the strong one and my only family," she divulged. "When I was twenty six, I met Patrick Evans and we become friends. Patrick had bought a child in from of his cases to talk to me because they had been abducted and attacked and he had heard about me from a co-worker with another child that I had helped. Anyway, it took me a long time to fully trust him. We didn't start dating until I was 28 … _two years_," Sarah revealed with heavy heart. "He waited _two years_ for me to be comfortable with him – that's when I knew that he was the one for me. He knew about my past but still wanted me, I never thought that after what happen to me – any guy would want me. But Patrick did."

Andy squeezed Sarah's hand. "He saw the heart behind the scars," she proclaimed. "Some of the best things in life are worth waiting for."

Sarah felt tears sting her eyes at the brunette's words. _She could see why her brother loved this woman_. "Anyway, a couple of months later the twins came along and we got married. After that, Sam backed away as my protector and let Patrick fill that spot. But that didn't stop him from calling every week and visiting every few weeks - unless he was undercover of course."

Andy nodded her head.

A smile curved Sarah's lips as she looked at the brunette. "The first time I heard about you was actually after one of his undercover gigs had been blown, he told me that 'some Bambi with badge from his division come along and blew his eight month undercover gig'," she revealed, quoting her brother. "He was so mad that a Rookie had busted him, but I could also here the pride in his voice. He didn't know you then, but he was proud of you and knew that you would become a great cop. Not that he admitted that right away, a couple of months passed before more stories of you were told."

Andy turned her eyes from Sarah and onto Sam.

_Andy and Sam were driving towards their undercover gig in silence. Andy's mind was working overtime, going over every scenario in her head of how it could play out. She didn't want to screw up or disappoint Sam. _

"_You okay?" she heard Sam ask her. _

_Andy just nodded and mumbled a response. _

"_Really burns ya, doesn't it?" she heard him say. _

_Andy kept her eyes focused dead ahead. "Excuse me?" she asked, knowing exactly what he was talking about. _

"_Callaghan wanting to protect ya, look out for ya." He answered, casually._

_Andy turned her eyes towards the window and looked out it. "No," she lied. "I think it's really sweet actually," annoyance evident in her voice. It did piss her off, but she wasn't going to admit that to Sam. _

"_It pisses you off," he replied, a smirk evident in his voice. "You're not some little girl who needs her hand held. You busted me first day on the job," he proclaimed with pride. _

"_Wow," she exclaimed. "You're really not going to let that one go, are you?"_

_Sam grinned. "Why would I? You took me down. And I'm awesome. Which of course means you're awesome," he declared. _

_Andy smiled and turned her eyes towards him. _

Andy felt a smile tug at her lips as she looked at the sleeping Detective. "I cannot believe he told you about that," she voiced with a sad smile.

Sarah released a soft chuckle. "Yeah, well Sam and I are close," she shared. "Growing up we only had each other and if something or someone is important in our lives – we share it with each other."

Andy turned her eyes back onto the female Swarek, speechless. _Sam considered her important? _

* * *

_**A few months ago **_

_Andy was standing opposite Sam in front of a food truck, clutching the cool pumpkin smoothie in her hand as she smiled at her ex. "How are you?" she asked him with genuine curiosity. She missed not being with him every day, not waking up beside him every morning. _

_Sam was leaning against the food truck. He shrugged his shoulders. "You know me," he simply answered with an easy smile. _

_Andy shrugged her shoulders back. "Sometimes yes, sometimes no," she answered, honestly. _

"_We'll if you don't know me, I don't know who does," he shot back in a casual tone._

Andy wished she knew him more than she did. Sam had been in her life for almost four years now and she didn't know much personal things about him beside's what she was leaning for Sarah now. Andy knew that Sam wasn't a big talker when it came to being personal; he expressed himself in his actions. And his actions were powerful but sometimes she wished that he would just open up to her. Andy never pushed Sam about opening up about his past because she didn't want to push him away. She wanted him to open up when he was ready.

"He never talked about his childhood," she revealed in a soft tone. "Or anything personal … in all the years that I've known him."

Sarah exhaled a deep breath and bit down on her bottom lip. "I'm not surprised," she shared. "We had a tough one and it would be hard for him to talk about it."

Andy focused her eyes onto Sarah.

"Evening ladies," Dr Mathews greeted as he entered the room in his white coat and walked towards the hospital bed. "I thought I would come in and check on my patient."

Both sets of brown orbs turned in the Doctor's direction and both women stood to their feet.

Beau turned his eyes onto the unconscious patient. "Still hasn't woken up, I see," he acknowledged with a serious expression etched across his face as he stopped at the end of the bed and picked up the Detective's chart. He opened the chart and his eyes scanned the added information.

"No," Andy answered. "Is there a reason why he hasn't woken yet?" she asked, apprehension filled her voice. "Is there something wrong?"

The doctor lifted his eyes from the chart and turned his focus onto the pretty brunette in the leather jacket._ He could see that she was worried about her boyfriend, partner or whatever he was. The two were close, he knew that much. _

A blonde haired, blue eyed nurse entered the room and walked towards the bed. "Evening Beau," she greeted her colleague with a warm smile. "I see you got stuck with night shifts all this week."

Beau turned his eyes onto the nurse. "Hey Jenny, Yeah, I did. I thought you knocked off at seven?" he questioned.

Jenny shared a warm smile. "I was meant to but Danni is running late so I am covering until she gets here," she answered in a casual tone. "How's our patient doing?"

Beau placed the chart back into its holder at the end of the bed and turned his deep blues on his colleague. "His brain and heart activity is normal," he expressed. "I'm surprised that he hasn't woken yet. I figured by now …"

All of a sudden, the rhythmic beats of the machines all picked up and all eyes turned on the machines.

Andy turned her eyes onto Sam and reached for his hand. "Sam?" she said down to him. Andy was a little concern because his heart rate and risen a bit and his eyelids were fluttering in a rapid motion but hadn't opened.

"What's going on?" Sarah asked, standing beside Andy with panic in her voice.

Dr Mathews was on the left side of Sam, looking at the machine that read his heart and brain activity, after studying it for a moment. He turned back to the two women that were looking at him with apprehension. "His brain activity is activate. He's dreaming, ladies," the doctor said with reassurance.

Andy turned her eyes down onto the sleeping detective_ 'Dreaming'_ she thought as her fingers brushed through his hair with free hand. _'About what?'_ was her next thought.

_Sam felt weird. He knew that he had been given morphine not long after entering the ambulance to help with the pain from the bullet that had pierced through him. He could hear the sirens around him and hear an unfamiliar male voice talking about him. He felt so tired. _

"_Sam," he heard her whisper and squeeze his shoulder. "I'm right here," her soft voice assured him. _

_Sam reached for her hand and she grabbed it, lacing their fingers. He turned his head to the side and she came into sight. She looked so beautiful. _

"_I'm just gonna talk or something until we get there because I don't really know what else to do," Andy babbled. _

"_Okay," he whispered in a gravel tone. _

"_Okay, but not you," she told him, looking down at him with sad eyes. "Okay, save every breath."_

_Sam felt a weak smile tug at his lips as he closed his eyes. "Good plan," he expressed._

"_It is," he heard her say with emotion in her voice. "Actually, it's an excellent plan. You're gonna lie there and you're gonna listen to me. I'm gonna tell you a story."_

_Sam opened his eyes for a moment and looked at her. He hated seeing her upset. He could feel her hands squeeze his and knew this was hard for her to see him like this. _

"_It was just you know a normal night and we were lying in bed and … my stomach was hurting from laughing 'cause you were teasing me about something … I don't remember what," she paused for a moment._

_Sam had his eyes closed as he listened to their past memory, replaying it in his head. He could hear the raw emotion in her voice. _

"_But I must've fallen asleep or something because all of a sudden I was having this really terrible dream…and I couldn't stop crying, you know, I was crying and …" her voice trailed off. _

_Sam felt her hand brush across his forehead. "You weren't even really awake," she shared as her hands found his again and she squeezed them, her thumb was tracing a pattern along the top of his hand. "And I remember you— you grabbed me. I remember you were just holding me so tight. All of a sudden you said 'I'm right here…and I'm gonna hold onto you and I'm never let you go.'_

_Sam re-opened his eyes and could see the emotion in her eyes. "Right then, I knew I would never feel more loved or more known. Look, I know it's small, it's a really small moment … it's not even a good story," she said as sadness filled her voice. _

"_It's a pretty good story," he told her. _

"_I love you," she told him with sincerity as she squeezed his hand. "I love you. You're my story, Sam. YOU," she confessed as tears filled her eyes._

_Sam wanted to tell her that he loved her back but talking was becoming hard as the morphine was making him very sleepy. He tried to say something but his eyes were getting heavy before they closed and the last thing he felt was a kiss on his forehead and her hand brushing his hair. Everything then got muffled. _

Sam could hear the sounds of beeping machines around him going crazy and his hand being squeezed. His eyelids felt heavy and he was finding it hard to open them.

"Oh my," the doctor mumbled as he began pressing buttons on the machine in front of him, watching it with widened eyes as the heart rate was getting higher and higher.

Andy was looking down at Sam when his machines started beeping like crazy and his hand started moving in her's. She dropped her eyes down to his hand as her eyes widened in awe. _It was moving! _"Sam," she whispered, lifting her eyes back up to him. Andy was about to asked the doctor _'what the hell was going on'_ when all of a sudden the detective's eyes shot open and were staring back at her. "Sam!" she voiced gobsmacked as tears slid down her cheek.

Sam finally managed to open his eyes and at first everything around him was blurry and he could only see blurred shapes. He could hear _her _voice saying his name and a few seconds passed before his vision cleared. Sam could clearly see that he was in a hospital room and Andy was looking down at him with moist eyes.

The Doctor and nurse turned their eyes onto the now awake Detective as a few more nurses entered the room and made their way towards his bed.

Sarah placed her hands over her mouth as she gasped. "Sammy!"

"Sam!" Andy said louder, their fingers still laced and Sam squeezing her hand back. _He was squeezing her hand back!_ The machines were going crazy. "I'm right here, Sam," she told him as the tears stream down her cheeks, _happy tears. _

A few seconds later she and Sarah were pushed back and the nurse crowed around Sam's bed. Andy knew that they could only watch from the side lines. Sarah grabbed Andy's hand and squeezed it hard.

Sam watched Andy and Sarah disappeared from eye sight, Andy's hand slipped from his and he started panic. Sam began chocking because something was shoved down his throat. Wanting it out, Sam tried lifting his arms but the nurses held them down and were telling him to calm down.

Sam turned his eyes towards the left side of his bed and onto an unknown man in a white lab coat that was looking down at him. "You need to calm down, Sam. You're in hospital," the doctor told him.

He rolled his eyes at the man and wanted to answer. "Dah!" but couldn't because of tube that was shoved down his throat.

The nurses and Doctor worked quick to remove the breathing tube first, so the detective would stop choking. As soon as it was removed, Sam started coughing. The nurses still surrounded him, and he still couldn't see his sister or Andy anywhere, his eyes searching for them.

"Hi Sam," the Doctor greeted him. "It's good to see you awake, everyone has been so worried."

Gasping, trying to find words, the detective began. "An-dy," was all he managed to say.

A petite blonde held out a plastic cup with a straw in it and placed the straw in his mouth. Sam took a sip and let the cool liquid burn down his sore throat. The nurse then turned and moved away from the bed. A moment later, Andy was standing in front of him with his sister by her side, the two clutching hands and both were looking at him with tear filled eyes.

"An-dy?" he repeated out of breath as he looked from her to his sister. "Sare-bear," he added, using her childhood nickname.

Sarah stepped forward and ran her hand over his head. "Sammy," she whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Don't ever do that again," she told him as more tears poured from her eyes. "I was so scared that I had lost you."

Sam felt bad that he had caused his big sister pain. "D-don't cry," he told her, lifted his hand and brushing the tears from her eyes. "I'm s-sorry," he apologized as his eyes found Andy's again and she was sobbing herself.

Sarah knew who her brother really wanted to talk to. "I need to call Patrick and tell him the good news," she announced, taking a step back and walking away from the bed.

Andy took a step forward, standing in Sarah's spot. Her hands automatically reached for his and without hesitation, Sam laced his fingers through her's.

Sam looked into her beautiful doe eyes. "Hey," he whispered, out-of-breathe.

Andy's tear-filled eyes smiled back. "Hey," she answered with relief and a sad smile.

* * *

A/N: So … Sam's awake … so Yay! It's about damn time, right? Now the long journey of recovery and McSwarek finding their way back to each other beings – with a few bumps in the road along the way. *grins*

Reviews are appreciated …


	5. Chapter 5 - When you know

Disclaimer: *sighs* Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue, but will have great pleasure in toying with the characters. *grins and pulls out McSwarek Voodoo dolls and makes them kiss*

**A/N: Wow … **Thank you for all the amazing reviews. You guys are awesome and it fuels me to write, seriously – they're great for my ego. Feel free to hit me up on twitter, tumblr or PM me if you have a question. I love to hear feedback so I know what the readers like or dislike. I am an open minded person.

So some people are worried about the _bumps _I mentioned … don't be, they're good ones that will start appearing in the next chapter. The start of this chapter was written several times because I wanted the scene to be believable and real. I hope I got there.

I am so sorry that this chapter took so long … work has been hectic because of the busy Christmas season and I am in between moving.

* * *

"When you know that you know who you need, you can't deny it. Or go back, or give up, or pretend that you don't buy it. When it's clear this time you've found the one, you'll never let him go, cos you know and you know that you know."

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_**Previously on the last chapter**_

_Andy took a step forward, standing in Sarah's spot. Her hands automatically reached for his and without hesitation, Sam laced his fingers through her's. _

_Sam looked into her beautiful doe eyes. "Hey," he whispered, out-of-breathe. _

_Andy's tear-filled eyes smiled back. "Hey," she answered with relief and a sad smile. _

* * *

Sam felt tired, which he found weird since he had just woken up. He could feel slight pain if he moved to much, so he remained in the laying position – even though he would rather being sitting up. Sam knew it was night time, but he wasn't sure how much time had actually passed since he got shot. His eyes were focused on Andy's beautiful hazel browns that were staring back; they were slightly puffy and red at the moment. He knew that she had been crying and it tore at him because he had been the cause.

_God, she looked so beautiful, _Sam couldn't help but think. He could feel her hand in his, their fingers laced. He was glad that they were the only two in the room at the moment, but the Doctor had promised that he would return shortly to do a proper check over.

Sam had been a little surprised that Andy was the first person that he saw when he woke. _How long had she been by his side? How did Collins feel about her being here and did he know about the ambulance confession? What did it mean to Andy? She had told him that she loved him. Did she only say it because she thought he was gonna die? _Sam knew that the two of them had to talk, but he didn't want to do it in a hospital room while he was dope up on morphine. He wanted a clear head.

_Sam was curious to how long his sister had been here and what she has told Andy?_ He had seen his sister exit the room a couple of minutes ago to call her husband. Sam knew that it had been almost two months since he had gone and seen his sister and her family. His focus lately had been on Marlo and her condition. He had to make sure that she didn't slip up and he had been distracted with Andy constantly being on his mind over the last year since their breakup.

"H-how long has it be-en?" he asked, his throat sounded scratchy.

Andy could see that Sam still needed rest, even though he had been asleep for almost a day. He needed to rebuild his strength to heal. She inhaled a breath. "Almost twenty four hours," she told him in a soft tone, exhaling a sigh. "It's just after seven on Saturday night."

Sam had been surprised to hear that. _He had been asleep a whole day? How come it had taken so long to wake up? Had something gone wrong? _

Andy licked her dry lips. She could see from the puzzled look on his face that he was analyzing what she had told him. She knew he would need a moment.

A long minute passed before Andy spoke up again. "What I don't understand is … why didn't you go straight to the lockers and put on your _damn vest_?" she questioned in a soft tone, it was something that had been bugging her since she had seen him got shot. "It would have only taken a couple of minutes."

Sam closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. He just listened to everything around him as events from before the shooting played before his eyes. "Collins would have gotten shot," he simply answered as he exhaled.

Andy squeezed his hand. "He was wearing a_ vest_, Sam. You weren't," she pointed out as a sob caught in her throat and tears filled her eyes. Andy's eyes dropped down at their joined hands. Sam's thumb was tracing a circular pattern on the top of her hand as the comforting rhythmic beeping sound came from the machines that were contacted to him. "You could have _died_," she whispered with raw emotion as she lifted her eyes to clash with his. "You almost_ did_, I could have lost you _forever_."

Sam felt a pang of guilt wash over him as he saw the heartache etched across the brunette's face and heard the sadness in her voice. He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry," he vowed, a catch in his throat. "Andy, I needed to make sure everyone was okay before I worried about myself."

Andy looked at him, gobsmacked. She shook her head. "You need to be okay, _too_," she expressed, tenderly as a few silent tears rolled down her cheeks. "And _protected_."

Sam could see the raw emotion in her eyes. "This is _all_ my fault," he expressed, tearing his eyes from her and looked up at the ceiling. "How did I let _everything_ get so out of control?"

Andy was gobsmacked. _He was blaming himself? _"What?" she voiced in barely a whisper. "How the _hell_ could you possibly believe that? How were you meant to know that any of _this _would happen?" she questioned, squeezing his hand. "_None _of this is _your _fault."

He knew that she was just saying that to make his feel better. Sam felt her squeeze his hand and he turned his head to the side, his eyes clashed with hers. "_I _could have prevented it. _I_ should have told Frank about Marlo's condition. _I_ never should have asked you to change that _damn _notebook."

Andy shook her head, stubbornness washing through her. "Sam, you don't know that it would have changed _everything. _Marlo would have kept digging until the truth came out, with or without a badge. She was determined to find the truth. _I_ was the one who kept her secret for _months_. _I_ was the one who thought_ I_ could control the situation. _I _was the one that changed that notebook."

Sam could hear the emotion in her voice; he could see the determination burning in her beautiful hazel brown orbs. "Because_ I_ made you," he expressed with regret.

Andy shook her head. "No, you didn't. You _asked_ me._ I_ didn't have to change it. If _I _didn't want to get involved,_ I_ wouldn't have." She told him, honestly. "Always have your partner's back, no matter what." She quoted back to him. "You stand behind your partner, always."

Sam felt a smile tug at his lips. _He had told her that back in her Rookie days. She still saw them as partners? Or was she talking about Marlo? _"I am sure Marlo is grateful," he supplied, clearing his throat. "

Andy looked at him surprised. _He thought she was talking about Marlo?_ Andy shook her head, licking her lips as she swallowed hard. She looked down at their fingers that were laced. "I wasn't talking Marlo," she admitted, honestly.

Sam was astounded. _Me? She did it for me? She loved him that much that she was willing to risk her job, a job she loved more than anything. _Sam opened his mouth to speak but words weren't coming out.

A long minute passed before he managed to find words. "We weren't partners then," he pointed out, regretting the words as soon as he had said them. "I thought you didn't do it for me?" he inquired earnest.

Andy looked at him, genuine. "We'll always be partners," she confessed, squeezing his hand. "And I said that because I was _angry_ at you and I wanted to _hurt_ you," she confessed ashamed, lifting her eyes to meet his. "What you said was true, if Marlo's condition got out, then a pedophile could have walked. Even though it wasn't Forde who kidnapped that boy, it was his older brother. She figured it out, just a little too late for Forde."

Sam tensed a little at the mention of Marlo's name. He began to process the information that Andy was telling him when he heard the last part about Kevin Forde. "What?" he asked, staggered. "It was his brother?"

Andy nodded her head. "Yeah, and he was willing to let his younger brother take the fall," she divulged as anger filled her. "What kind of person does that to their own family?"

Sam swallowed hard. _My father, _he thought. He didn't want to go there, didn't want to trudge up old memories. "How is Marlo?"

Andy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, I've been trying to call her but it goes straight to voice mail. She's already been suspended and is under investigation. Traci said she will try and contact her, but hasn't had any luck yet. I'm worried."

Sam swallowed hard. _He could see that Andy was really concerned about his 'girlfriend'. That was one of the things he loves about her – her lion heart._ "How much trouble do you think we're in?"

Andy shrugged her shoulders, releasing a sigh. "I have no idea, but we're in it together. Frank knows about us keeping Marlo's bipolar a secret, I don't know if he knows about the notebook, but I wouldn't be surprised if Luke doesn't figure it out soon -"

"What about Nick?" Sam interrupted. "He knew about Marlo," he pointed out.

Andy inhaled a deep breath. _It was her fault that Nick knew as much as he did. He shouldn't get in trouble because she had talked to him in confidence. There was already enough of them in trouble. _She exhaled. "Frank didn't mention anything? Nick and I are kinda not talking at the moment. He hates me," she revealed, melancholy. "I don't blame him … we ended whatever we had … he was kinda mad that I chose you."

Sam had been processing everything that Andy was revealing when he heard the last part. '_He was kinda mad that I chose you'. Chose me? When? What did that mean? _Sam could see that Andy looked apprehensive, as if she was waiting for a response to her confession. That's when he noticed something different about her.

"Is that my jacket?" he asked in a gravel tone.

Andy was chewing on her bottom lip when she had heard his question, not the response that she was expecting after her confession. Andy had forgotten that she was wearing his jacket. _It was so comfortable and had moulded to her over the day, plus it smelt like him. It was her way of being close to him._ She quickly tore her hands from his and removed the jacket from her shoulders. "Sorry," she apologized. "It was cold," she lied as she placed it on the bed across his legs.

Sam didn't mind her wearing the jacket if she was cold or at all. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. "It's always looked good on you," he mumbled. _Damn morphine, losing his lips. _

Andy lifted her eyes to meet his once again, a smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. _She missed this. She missed him. _

"Andy," he spoke, his tone still gravel. "What you said in the ambulance…"

Andy was standing less than a metre from his bed. Her eyes fixed on his smouldering ones. "I meant every word," she cut in, not needing a second to think about it. "The day I tackled you in the alley, I knew my life was gonna change. I just didn't know much or that you would become this important to me."

Sam was speechless. _He was important to her? He changed her life? _

Sarah re-entered the room, sliding her phone back in her pocket as she walked towards her brother's bed. "Patrick said that he is glad you're okay. He didn't wanna have to find another poker buddy," she delivered, sarcastically.

Sam turned his eyes onto his big sister. He rolled his eyes. "He doesn't win that often," he replied dryly.

Sarah released a chuckle. "You're losing's have bought the twins their shoes since they were two," she retorted with a smirk.

Andy watched the banter between brother and sister. _She was a little stunned that they were joking about Sam almost dying. It wasn't a joking matter. Maybe it was their way of dealing with the serious stuff?_

Sarah was standing beside a machine that was connected to her little brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. "He is glad that you're okay, though."

Sam nodded his head. "I know," he answered, gruffly.

Andy knew she should give the siblings a moment. "Um, I should really start calling people and letting them know that Sam is awake. I'll be over there," she told them both, pointing towards the far window.

Both siblings nodded the head.

* * *

**ICU – 19:33p.m**

Dov was sitting in a chair beside his girlfriend's bed, listening to the rhythmic beeping that was coming from the machines connected to her. It bought comfort because it was proof that she was still alive. Chloe's _husband _wasn't here at the moment. He had gone home and would return in the morning, along with Chloe's pregnant sister and her husband. Lola was the only family member that Dov had meant. She had mentioned to him that their parents were currently on an anniversary cruise and word had got out to them, but they wouldn't be here for a couple of days yet.

Dov had arrived at the hospital twenty minutes after his shift had ended at six. He had been sitting in the chair for the last hour now, just staring at her sleeping form. He had briefly chatted to her doctor upon arrival and she expected Chloe to wake up anytime within the next twenty-four hours.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he spoke to his unconscious girlfriend, leaning forward as he reached for her hand. "I thought we told each other everything," he added.

Her heart machine picked up a few beats faster.

Dov turned his eyes towards the machine. _That was strange? Could she hear him? Was she responding to his voice? _"Chloe?" he spoke to her. "I'm crazy about you."

All of a sudden her machines started to beep quicker.

"Chloe?" Dov voiced, squeezing her hand. "Can you hear me?" he asked her and a moment later, her eyes shot open and she looked panicked.

Dov felt his own heart start to race. _She was awake! _He turned his eyes towards the door. "Help, someone, help." He shouted out.

A moment later a few nurses rushed into her room and Dov stepped back as he let them do their job in calming her down and removing the breathing tube.

Dov was standing at the bed as he watched the scene play before his eyes, seconds turning into minutes.

The doctor entered the room and made her way towards Chloe's bed. She stood beside the machines that were connected to the young police officer and began to check her over. She then began to ask the basic questions that were asked to patients that had been through serious surgery like Officer Price had been several hours early.

"Do you remember your name?"

Chloe felt funky. She heard the question but it sounded a little fuzzy and muffled. Her throat felt dry and there was slight pain shooting through her body. "Chl-oe Pr-ice," she answered, out of breath.

The Doctor nodded her head with a small smile. "Good, how about the date? Do you remember what year it is?"

Chloe looked at the older female Doctor with confusion. "Do you wa-nt the date or year?" she asked back, croaky. "Fri-day, sixth of Dec-em-ber two-thou-sand and thir-teen," she answered, feeling out of breath.

A nurse stepped forward, a cup of water in hand with a straw popping out of the top. She placed the straw in Chloe's mouth and waited for her to take a sip. "It will help your sore throat," she told the young cop.

"It's Saturday, but you were unconscious for around thirty-two hours," the Doctor supplied. "Do you remember what happened?"

Chloe swallowed hard, her eyes searched the room, absorbing in all the unfamiliar faces around her until she spotted a familiar standing at the end of the bed. "Shot," she answered with tears in her eyes. "It was a trap," she added.

* * *

**Traci's House – 19:41p.m**

Traci was standing in her lounge room doorway, watching her son and new man friend playing some car racing game as she talked to her best friend on her phone. The Christmas lights that Steve and Leo had hung earlier that day were blinking throughout the house while she had been at work. She was glad that her son liked Steve. That was the most important thing. She knew that Steve couldn't replace the spot in their hearts for Jerry, but there was still some room left in there for him. It was still early in the relationship though.

"I am glad that he is okay," Traci expressed. "I will be partnered with _Callaghan_ until Swarek returns to the Division. It all depends on how this suspension goes, hopefully it isn't much longer then his recovery time."

"What have you heard about it?" Andy asked, apprehension filling her voice.

Traci released a heavy sigh. "Not much, Frank has been keeping hush hush about it, but Noelle let a little slip to me. The white shirts aren't happy that you four kept this secret-"

"Four?" she questioned.

Traci could hear the surprise in her friend's voice. "Yeah," she voiced. "Marlo, Sam, Nick and you. Nick revealed he knew about the secret when he handed in his statement this morning. Frank is letting him and you work until the transfers from other Divisions come through."

There was a moment of silence over the phone.

"I can't believe how messed up this all got," Andy divulged. "I am just glad that everyone is okay and no one was killed. I don't think I would have been able to handle it if anything happened to Chloe, Oliver or Sam because of me."

Traci could hear the guilt in her friend's voice. "Look, I know keeping Marlo's condition secret wasn't your smartest idea, but all of this wasn't your fault. Yes, it should have been handled differently, but no one could see this coming. We didn't know that Kevin Forde would go on a vendetta against the 15th Division. We'll deal with what we have to deal with and I'll see you at work tomorrow, okay."

"Okay," Andy answered back with a tired sigh. "Give Leo a big kiss for me," she added. "Night Trace."

Traci smiled. "Will do, night," she answered back before disconnecting the call and exhaling a deep sigh. Traci turned her eyes towards the couch and walked further into the room.

She stopped just behind the couch and looked down at her son. "Only twenty more minutes until you have to get ready for bed, okay buddy," she told her eight year old.

"But mom," he whined, not bothering to turn his eyes from the game. "I'm so close to winning the championship."

"Yeah, mom," Steve joked as he turned his head around and grinned at her.

Traci felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. _He was such a smartass sometimes, _she couldn't help but think.

A moment later a crashing sound came from the game.

"Dude, you crashed into the wall," Leo told the blonde Detective.

Steve turned his eyes back towards the television and absorbed that he had in fact crashed into the wall. "Sorry, got distracted," he answered, turning his eyes back onto Traci.

Traci bit down on her bottom lip and smiled.

* * *

**St Michael's Hospital – Room 108**

Andy was looking out the large window and down at the garden sitting area below. Since it was night time, no one was down there. She had just gotten off the phone to Traci a couple of minutes ago, which had been her last call for the night. She had called Frank, Oliver and Maggie before making her last call to Traci since she knew that they would talk the longest, which they did for almost twenty minutes. Andy had even left a message on Marlo's voice mail and sent a group text message to Dov, Chris, Luke and Gail.

Andy turned around and studied the two Swarek siblings. _She couldn't help but noticed that they looked a lot alike, and could nearly pull off being mistaken as twins – minus the dimples. Sarah didn't look thirty-nine. The siblings had slightly different personalities, Andy had noticed. Sam was the strong silent type, the protector with the big heart. But Sarah was more of an observer and listener, which are great qualities for a child shrink. When Sarah talked to you, you felt like she understood you and cared about you._

Sam turned his eyes from his sister as he listened to her updated him about her family. He was still listening, but his eyes found Andy. She was watching them with intensity but seemed to be zoned out as if she was deep in thought.

Sarah finished her story and noticed that her brother's focus was elsewhere. A smile twitched her lips and she stood to her feet. "We'll I'm beat," she told her little brother, getting his focus back on her. "I think I'm gonna head back to your place for some sleep. I'll bring some of your things in – in the morning. Is there anything you want in particular?"

Sam smiled at his sister and shook his head. "Not that I can think of, Sare-Bear," he answered, running his hands over his face.

Andy made her way back towards the bed after hearing Sarah's announcement of leaving. He found Sam's nickname for his older sister, adorable.

Sarah turned her eyes onto the brunette that had stopped at the end of the bed with folded arms. "Did you want a left home? You rode in the ambulance with Sam, right? I know you have to work in the morning and you need a proper night's sleep, Andy and you cannot sleep in that chair again."

"Again?" Sam voiced, turning his eyes onto Andy. She was looking at him and bitting down on her bottom lip, nervously as she hugged herself.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, she stayed here all night and all day up until you woke up," she revealed. "I think this one actually cares about you," she teased with a famous Swarek smirk, switching her eyes from her brother to the brunette.

_She stayed here the whole time he was unconscious? Andy didn't leave him. _Sam looked at her overwhelmed with emotion. _Damn morphine. _He wasn't sure what to say. Sam knew things were complicated between him and Andy and they had a lot to work through before they even thought of getting back together, plus he was technically still with Marlo. He needed to makes things right with her first.

Andy was waiting for a response, any response from Sam. If he wanted her to stay, she would stay. All he had to do was ask her, she didn't want to push him.

Sam's head was in such a mess at the moment. He needed a little time to sort it out. "She's right," he finally managed. "You should get some proper sleep," he told her, concerned.

Andy felt disappointment wash over her as she nodded her head as bent down. Andy reached under the bed and retrieved her carry bag that contained her uniform in it. She slung it over her shoulder as she stood back up.

"Andy," he vocalized.

Andy turned her hazel brown orbs onto his darker ones. She mumbled a response, not sure if she could trust the words that came out of her mouth.

"The spare keys to my truck are in my locker," he told her, watching as confusion washed over her. "You can drive my truck until I'm allowed to. My locker combination is -"

"I know it," she confessed, biting the inside of her cheek. _She was still a little surprised that he was letting her drive his truck again. Was it some sort of peace offering? Was it his way of letting her into his life again? _Andy walked towards the head of the bed and smiled down at the injured Detective. She lifted her hand and placed it onto of his. "I'll see you tomorrow," she promised, giving his hand a squeeze.

Sam smiled up at her, that rare smile he kept for her. "Tomorrow," he repeated, hesitantly letting go of her hand as Sarah loped arms with her and the two walked away.

Andy turned her head just before they reached the door and looked at Sam to find him looking back. She flashed him a soft smile before disappearing out the door.

* * *

**A/N: **So … what do we think?

Reviews are appreciated …


	6. Chapter 6 - Inside Out

Disclaimer: *sighs* Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue, but will have great pleasure in toying with the characters. *grins and pulls out McSwarek Voodoo dolls and makes them kiss*

**A/N: Wow … **Thank you for all the amazing reviews. You guys are awesome and it fuels me to write, seriously – they're great for my ego. Feel free to hit me up on twitter, tumblr or PM me if you have a question. I love to hear feedback so I know what the readers like or dislike. I am an open minded person.

So there were a lot of things that we didn't see on the show when McSwarek were together for the first time. So I am gonna portray what I believed happened. Maggie's Diner will be one of them.

Now the story that I mention involving Sam and Oliver is based on a true story that happened on an episode of 'Highway Patrol' in Australia.

* * *

"_The biggest lie you ever told, your deepest fear about growin' old. The loneliest night you ever spent, the angriest letter you never sent. The girl you swore you'd never leave, the one you kissed on New Year's Eve. The sweetest dream you had last night, your darkest hour, your hardest fight … I wanna know you, like I know myself. I'm waiting for you, there ain't no one else. I wanna know you inside out …"_

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

**SUNDAY, 8****TH**** December 2013**

**St Michael's Hospital – 07:20am **

Andy walked down the corridor in the direction of Sam's room. She was carrying two travel mugs and a paper bag with Maggie's Dinner logo stamped on the front of it. She had chatted to Sam's doctor on the way out last night before Sarah had dropped her off at the station. Andy had then driven Sam's truck home so she didn't have to catch a cab back to the hospital in the morning before heading into work for her shift at eight. Andy was starting to realize that she needed a car and had stop relying on catching lifts with people.

She had been up for two hours now. This morning Andy had gone for her morning jog at six, since it was the start of winter – it was cool out. But Andy actually enjoyed it, running kept her warm. She had slept okay last night. As soon as she had gotten home, Andy had passed out not even bothering to change but she had woke up a couple of times during the night after each nightmare. Andy would then cry herself back to sleep wishing that Sam was beside her. She almost called him just so she could hear his voice, but hadn't wanted to wake him.

Andy had walked into Maggie's Diner around six forty that was just a block from her condo for breakfast and a long chat. The diner opened at six in the morning and closed at nine p.m - seven days a week. That was one of the things that Andy loved about it, along with its 1970's classic look. Andy had been coming to the diner since she moved into her condo almost two years ago. Sam and her would often have dinner or breakfast there (depending on their shift) a few times a week when they had been together. After their break up, she hadn't seen him there once. Andy then went undercover but left a message with Maggie informing her that she would be out of contact for a while. Andy had grown close to the older woman, she had become like a second mother to her – she was closer to her then her own mother.

Two weeks after Andy had gotten back from undercover, Maggie and her father informed her that they had been dating for those last six months, apparently they had been flirting with each other for the previous few months before that since Tommy would meet for dinner once a week with her and Sam. They seemed happy and Andy liked seeing her dad happy.

Andy stopped outside his closed door and a sad smile touched her lips at the past memory. After getting back from undercover, Maggie had informed her that Sam started coming in again – alone. That he had seemed sad. Andy was glad that he never took Marlo there, it made it_ their_ place. She never took Nick there or anywhere public. Three weeks after being back from undercover, Andy ran into Sam one morning at the diner. They exchange a brief hello as he waited for his coffee and then he left. Two months passed before she ran into him again at the diner and he managed to have a brief conversation with her – mainly about the case that he was working, but it didn't matter because he was talking to her and that was the main thing.

Andy released a sigh as she peered through the small glass window in the door and saw that he was awake, his eyes glued to the television. All of a sudden she got nervous and felt knots in her stomach.

_**Last night – 15**__**th**__** Division – Men's Locker Room**_

_Andy entered the empty men's locker room and made a beeline straight for Sam's locker. It had been a while since she had been in here. She pushed the thought from her mind as she stopped in front of Sam's locker. Andy lifted her hand and quickly turned the dial a few times until the lock clicked open. Andy had known Sam's combination for a while now, she had seen him do it a couple of times after shift when they were dating and she was telling him something, talking a mile a minute and it kinda stuck in, like his phone number. Everything about Sam tended to stick in her mind, no matter how much she tried to forget or how much time past. He was unforgettable. _

_She opened the locker door and her eyes absorbed in the contents of his locker. She didn't pay too much attention to the items since she was only here for his keys. Andy couldn't help but noticed there was no trace of Marlo in here, not even a photo. She remembered that when they had been together, Sam had a photo of them on the door. It had appeared their a little after two months when they had been dating. Andy knew that Marlo had one of them, she had seen in a couple of times. _

_Andy spotted the keys on the second shelf. She reached for them and was about to close the locker when something on the door caught her eyes. She turned them onto the door and looked at the spot where their picture use to be. _

_Now, there was a child's drawing of who Andy assumed was Sam because of the black hair, sunnies and dimples, standing beside who Andy assumed was Sophie. It read __**'Me and Uncle Sammy' **__and was signed by Sophie Shaw at the bottom. It was good work for a seven year old and Andy couldn't help but smile at the fact that Sam had it hanging in his locker. _

_Andy ran her fingers over the picture, tracing her fingers over Sam and that when she felt something behind it. Curiosity getting the better of her, Andy lifted up the picture and a gasped escaped her mouth as her absorbed in their photo. It was still there. It was one of her favourite photos of them because they hadn't taken it, Oliver had. Andy remembered that it was one night when they were at Maggie's Diner about two months after they had started dating and Oliver and Zoey were meeting them there. Her and Sam were looking at one another, smiling. They had just recently kissed and one looking at each other like they had a secret. It was a good memory with the happy Sam. _

Andy still couldn't believe that he hadn't taken it down. _Had he forgotten it was there? _Andy wasn't sure if she should say anything to Sam, _would he think she had been snooping?_

* * *

**Room 108**

Sam was awake and sitting up in his bed, propped against a few pillows as he watched the morning cartoons that were playing. He wasn't in the mood for the news and hadn't watched morning cartoons in a long time. It felt good to laugh at something silly, even though he couldn't laugh too hard because it hurt.

Sam had been awake for the last hour. He managed to get a few hours sleep in between bad dreams from nightmares about the shooting. Each nightmare was different and it wasn't him getting shot. The first time had been Nick – he had arrived too late and Forde had shot him, the second one had been them finding Oliver dead and the last one that had rocked him to his core was Andy getting shot and bleeding out right before his eyes and there was nothing he could do to save her. It had taken him an hour to get back to sleep after that one. He had almost called her just to hear her voice and make sure she was okay, but he didn't want to wake her since he knew that she needed a proper night's sleep.

"Knock Knock," came a familiar sweet voice.

Sam's head snapped in the direction of the door and his eyes absorbed in the beautiful brunette entering the room with full hands. She had pushed the door open with her foot.

"Andy," he acknowledged, stunned that she was actually here, walking towards him with a smile. "You here," he mumbled. She looked good in those black jeans and deep v neck red sweater that hugged her curves. She was wearing a deep brown leather jacket and her hair was down.

Andy looked at him puzzled as she stopped by his side, absorbing in the two day stubble on his face and the bags under his eyes. _He looked like he hadn't slept well._ "Of course I am here," she told him, vulnerability in her voice. "I told you I would come back. I just _needed_ to see you before heading into work and bought you breakfast from Maggie's."

Sam was taken aback when he heard her say _needed_. He noticed the bags under her eyes and knew that she must have had trouble sleeping – just like he did. "How did you get in so early?" he asked, grabbing the stainless steel travel mug she handed him. Sam noticed that it was his old one that he would drink from whenever he was at her condo and they had to leave in a hurry. He was surprised that she still had it.

Andy grinned. "The power of a badge," she told him as she sat down on the bed a good rule length from him, placing the paper bag in between them. "I figured I should take advantage of it before it gets taken away," she expressed with a sad smile.

Sam looked at her benevolent. "You're a great cop, Andy. Your record will show that. The worse that will happen is a couple of month's suspension. And it isn't the first time we've been suspended," he reminded her.

Andy felt apprehension wash over her as she clutched her travel mug in her hands, her eyes fixed on Sam. "Exactly, it would be our second together, you don't think the white shirts aren't gonna notice that, Sam. God, I don't know what I would do if I couldn't continue being a cop," she admitted, dropping her eyes downwards.

Sam could see that she was really worried about this. He reached forward and placed a hand on her arm and gave it a squeeze. "Hey, we're gonna be okay, Andy." He assured her. Andy lifted her eyes and met his. Sam swallowed. "We'll get through this together," he promised with sincerity. "Plus the time off will give you a chance to catch up with that Castle show I know you have saved up on your TiVo."

Andy rolled her eyes as a chuckle escaped her lips. "It's a great show," she defended as she bought the mug to her lips and took her first sip of her hot beverage.

Sam was grinning as he took his first swig from his old travel mug. He let the sweet mint chocolaty tea flavour light up his taste buds. He swallowed as his eyes found her's. She was watching him with a cheeky smile.

"That's not coffee," he said with a smile. "That's Maggie's special tea," he acknowledged as he took another swig.

Andy nodded her head taking another sip. "Yep, can you remember the last time you had it?"

Sam nodded his head, a dimple filled grin. "How could I forget … it was around a year and a half ago and I had the flu and couldn't keep anything down. So for three days all you made me drink was Maggie's special tea and homemade chicken soup. We watched reruns of full house and Mr Ed for hours on end," he remembered.

Andy bit down on her bottom lip and nodded her head. He was looking at her heartfelt and the two held gazes for a long moment before Andy dropped her eyes and reached for the paper bag with her free hand she reached in, pulling out a choc-chip muffin and handed it to him. The muffins were still warm since Maggie had recently baked them as she was leaving.

Sam took it with a smile and they shared a silent appreciation.

She reached back into the bag and pulled out her own banana choc-chip muffin and brought it to her lips, taking a bite. A moment later she released a moan as the sweet taste lit up her tastebuds.

Sam swallowed his bite of muffin before he released a chuckle. "That good, huh?" he teased with a dimpled filled grin. He missed hearing that sound, but usually he had been the cause of her making it.

Andy nodded her head as she swallowed the breakfast treat. "Maggie's a goddess in the kitchen," she proclaimed as she took a sip of her choc-mint tea.

"Maybe you should get some lessons from her," he teased as he took another bit from his muffins, knowing that would get a rise out of her.

Andy narrowed her eyes onto the injured Detective. _If he wasn't injured, she would have whacked him one, _she thought. "Hey, I'm not that bad of a cook," she defended. "I don't remember hearing you once complain about my cooking. There was only one time when _we_ accidently let the chicken burn, but that was your fault anyw-"

Sam smirked. "May fault?" he questioned, raising his eye brows. "How was it my fault?"

Andy gave him a loaded look. "I warned you that it was not far from being ready, but you still carried me away to the couch and _distracted _me for twenty minutes until we smelt it burning."

Oh, Sam remembered that Sunday. "I still ate it," he defended, remembering the vivid workout that they had had that late afternoon.

Andy nodded her head, releasing a soft chuckle. "You still ate it," she supplied.

* * *

**Twenty odd minutes later**

Andy was laughing loudly at the story that Sam had told her about him and Oliver and what happened to them six years ago while on the job. They had pulled over a car because it was serving on the road and when they got to the guy's window, they discovered that he was butt naked and intoxicated. The driver had informed them that he had just come from his partner's house from afternoon delight.

"I mean, who walks out the door without thinking 'is it drafty? Or 'am I forgetting something … like my pants?" Sam questioned, still finding it baffling.

Andy felt her sides start to ache from all the laughter.

Sam couldn't help but grin. _It was good seeing her like this again. He had missed seeing her happy and laughing. He had missed her – period. _

Andy's phone beeped twice, indicating a new text message. Her laughter began to slowly die down as she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the electrical device and opened the message from Traci.

'**Hey girl, thought you wanted to catch a lift to work? You're not here?' **

Andy flicked her wrist and looked at the time. It was seven forty-eight. She had twelve minutes before she had to be at work. "Shit," Andy cursed, sliding off the bed and turned her attention towards Sam. He was looking at her concerned.

"What's wrong?" he asked, growing concerned.

Andy grabbed her travel mug from his bedside table and turned her attention towards Sam. "I lost track of the time," she babbled as she calculated that it would take ten minutes to get to the station then another couple to dress and gear up. "I might just make it to parade in time, but I will be back later," she promised him, giving his shoulder a squeeze before turning tail and hurried towards the door as she dialed Traci's number.

Sam watched the brunette disappeared out of his room and he shook his head as a smile stole his lips.

* * *

She was jogging down the corridor when she heard her best friend answer. "Andy, you okay? When you didn't answer, I got worried and used my key only discover that you weren't here."

"Hey Trace," she greeted as she passed the nurses' station and waiting room, heading straight towards elevator bay. "I am so sorry I forgot to call you, I don't need a lift into work. I have Sam's truck and am just about to leave the hospital now … we'll talk later," she promised.

"Yeah, we will," Traci answered with intrigue. "See you soon," she added before hanging up.

* * *

**15****th**** Division – Parade – 08:06am**

Frank had just started parade a couple of minutes ago and was updating everyone on the good news about both Detective Swarek and Officer Price waking up when he noticed Officer McNally trying to sneak into parade. She was still attaching her radio to her uniform.

"Officer McNally, nice of you to join us," he announced as she tried to sneak in and sit beside the only open spot which was beside Officer Peck.

All eyes turned onto the brunette cop.

"Sorry Sir," she apologized. "I slept through my alarm clock," she lied, adverting her eyes as she looked around the room and then noticed that she was sitting beside Gail. _Oh crap, _she inwardly thought.

Gail was ignoring her. Her eyes remained focused dead ahead.

Frank kept his tone serious. "Well, thank you for volunteering for the front desk," he told her with a nod of the head before he continued with Parade and Andy suck back into her chair.

Andy was actually kind of relieved that she got the desk. She could use an easy day. She let her eyes drift around the room and she noticed that Noelle was back in uniform. Andy was glad to see the older cop back at work. Her eyes continued to drift until she spotted Nick glaring at her with crossed arms. He was still angry at her. That much was obvious.

Andy released a heavy sigh and turned her eyes back towards Frank and listened.

* * *

Andy was walking towards the front desk. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the glass window where Forde had been shot through two nights ago, yellow caution tape covered it. Andy then realized that she was standing in the same spot that she had been on Friday night. All of a sudden she felt a wave of sadness wash over her as her chest tightened and tears stinged her eyes. She tried to blink the tears away but she kept seeing Sam getting shot and falling back. Andy then saw him bleeding out on the ground and a sob escaped her throat as she covered her mouth.

"You okay?" she heard Gail ask as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Andy turned her tear filled eyes to the right and noticed the genuine concerned etched across the blonde haired cop's face. She could see the compassion in her blue eyes.

"He's alive, Andy," Gail reminded the brunette cop. "They all are," she supplied, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

Andy nodded her head as a few tears slipped from her eyes. "I know," she whispered, quietly.

"Yo Peck," Dov called as he from the other end of the room. "You coming?" he asked, walking towards them before noticing what had pulled his partner's attention.

Both women turned their eyes towards their friend.

He jogged towards his two female friends. "Everything okay?" he asked, concerned, knowing that things had been tense between the two friends lately because of _Nick Collins. _He stopped opposite the brunette cop and looked at worried. "You okay, Andy?"

Andy exhaled a shaky breath. "I will be," she answered with watery smile.

* * *

**St Michael's Hospital - 09:02am – Room 108**

Sam was waiting for his sister to arrive so he could get out of his damn hospital gown. He wanted to be able to move further then the bathroom. He only had a drip attached to him now. The other machines and been remove and disconnected from him, forty minutes ago. Sam knew that he would be stuck in here for at least a few more days. It still felt a slight tinge of pain if he moved too much. The morphine helped but Sam didn't want to rely on it.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," he called, turning his eyes towards the door. It opened and a moment later Marlo appeared in sight. She was dressed in her winter wear with her hair down.

"Hey," he managed, relieved to finally see her. "We've been worried about you," he supplied with sincerity.

Marlo felt her heart break a little when she saw him because she knew this would most likely be the last time she will see him and it was killing her. She loved him and it hurt. Marlo knew who the 'we' was that he was talking about.

"I got _Andy's_ messages. I'm sorry that I worried _both _of you. I just needed some time to think," she voiced, crossing the floor towards his bed. She stopped beside the IV pole on wheels that had the morphine drip connected to his right hand.

Sam could see that Marlo was struggle with something. "It's okay," he answered.

Marlo fixed her eyes onto his dark chocolate ones. "I am so sorry," she whispered as she reached for his hand with the drip attached. "This is all my fault," she admitted as tears filled her eyes. "_Everything _that has happened is all my _fault_, I just had to keep _digging_ and now everything is so _messed_ up. He didn't do it," she supplied as tears rolled down her face. "It was his god damn brother all along."

Sam could see that Marlo was in emotional pain. He swallowed hard. "I heard, but Marlo … none of us saw this coming."

Marlo let go of his hand and hugged herself. "_I_ should have seen it sooner," she proclaimed as she tried to blink away the tears. "_I_ shouldn't have done it _alone_. Forde went _nuts _and was _killed_ because _I _screwed up. He_ targeted_ all of us because _I_ was wrong," she expressed with raw emotion in her voice as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Sam tired to reach for her, but she took a step back._ He was shocked that she was blaming herself. He had been blaming himself and Andy had been blaming herself. It was all one big mess._ "You didn't know," he answered, headstrong. "All the facts pointed in his direction. You made a mistake -"

"A bloody big one that got you and Price shot and Oliver wounded," she pointed out, raising her voice slightly. "I am already being investigated and can pretty much kiss my job goodbye. I know that I have always risked McNally and your job by making you two keep this secret. I've pretty much have _ruined _everything," she vented. "And that's why I am here … to say goodbye."

Sam was still processing everything that Marlo had just told him when he heard that last part. _She was leaving? Was it because of him? _"When?" he managed, the word tasted bitter coming out.

Marlo had hoped that he would ask her to stay. She had hoped that he would declare his love for her, but that had just been wishful thinking. "After the investigation is complete, I'm leaving town. I think it's for the best," she admitted, sadly. "I was always living on borrowed time with you. I pretended it was real, I wanted it to be real but _it wasn't_. I didn't want to _fall in love_ with you, but it happened -"

Sam was shocked. _Love? What had that happened and how come he didn't see it?_ "Marlo…" he voiced, feeling like a dick. _He didn't want to hurt her._

She shook her head. "Let me finished," she requested.

Sam just nodded his head.

Marlo swallowed hard. "I had heard stories about you and Andy before we started dating and I figured since she was gone, it would be okay. But the moment she returned, you changed. We changed. And I knew that you still were in love with her. I could see it your eyes and saw the way you looked at her. I knew you were trying to get over her, but you couldn't let her go. I could see that she still loved you and for months I just pretended that we were real, but I couldn't feel it."

Sam inhaled a sharp breath. He could hear the pain in her voice and it was killing him. "I did care about you, Marlo," he told her, honestly.

Marlo nodded her head as tears fell freely. "But just didn't love me," she answered as a sob escaped her throat.

Sam swung his feet over the edge of the bed and slowly stood up, ignoring the pain that was shooting through him. He then pulled Marlo into his arms and hugged her, breathing through the pain.

Marlo was frozen in her spot as she felt the injured Detective console her. A moment passed before she hugged him back and cried on his shoulder.

Sam rubbed her back as he felt her tears soak through his gown. _He hated that she was in emotional pain because of him. He had promised himself a long time ago that he would never initially cause pain to someone he cared about and he had done it twice now. _

A long minute passed before Marlow's sobs began to die down and Sam started to feel dizzy. He pulled back, taking a seat on the bed and placed his hands to either side of him holding himself up. He took a few deep breathes, waiting for his head to stop spinning.

Marlo knew something was wrong. She placed her hand on his shoulder, growing concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, worried.

Sam gritted his teeth, nodding. "It will pass," he answered, stubbornly.

Marlo could tell that he was in pain and she knew it was her fault. She knew that it would be best if she leaved now. "I am so sorry for_ everything_ that has happened to you and I hope you have a good life, Sam. Be Happy … you deserve it. Don't wait too long," she told him with a sad smile as she leaned forward and brushed a kiss along his forehead.

Sam swallowed hard at her touch. _Don't wait too long? She couldn't be talking about Andy … could she? _

Marlo turned and walked away.

Sam knew that he couldn't just let her walk away like that. She deserved better. "I don't have any regrets," he called after her, knowing that she needed to hear it. "With you."

Marlo stopped and turned her head. She looked at him for a moment before a soft smile touched her lips and she turned away and disappeared from the room.

Sam released a sigh and closed his eyes.

A minute passed before he heard the door open again.

"Wow," Sarah voiced as she walked towards the bed with her brother's duffle bag slung over her shoulder.

Sam's eyes shot open and his eyes landed on his older sister. He could tell by her facial expression that she had heard something. "What did you hear?"

Sarah placed the duffle bag beside her brother and released a sigh. "All of it," she confessed. "I saw her enter and was curious to who she was, so I listened at the door. When I heard her coming, I quickly ducked across the hall into the next room until she left. So that was Marlo."

Sam didn't know what to say. _What could he say? _

* * *

**A/N: **So … I put a lot into that chapter and I hoped that it flowed well. I liked Marlo, but not just with Sam.

It's almost two am and I am dead on my feet … so I bid you all a good night.

Reviews are appreciated…


	7. Chapter 7 - I'll carry you

Disclaimer: *sighs* Nope, I do not own Rookie Blue, but will have great pleasure in toying with the characters. *grins and pulls out McSwarek Voodoo dolls and makes them kiss*

**A/N: Wow … **Thank you for all the amazing reviews. You guys are awesome and it fuels me to write, seriously – they're great for my ego. Feel free to hit me up on twitter, tumblr or PM me if you have a question. I love to hear feedback so I know what the readers like or dislike. I am an open minded person.

So, wow those comments … the whole **Marlo and Sam** thing had different reactions to different people. I don't believe that Sam was **'in love'** with Marlo. He did what he did because he is a good person and the whole **'dumping Andy and not caring about it'** was wrong. Sam had a troubled childhood and has a hard time letting people complexly in because of it – trust me … I know what that is like. I am the same. I believe that Sam does love Andy, always has and always will. Sure the way he ended things wasn't so good, but he had **just **lost his best friend and grief affects us all in different ways and all that is gonna be addressed in this fic … just not for a few chapters. I am working my way up to it, I promise. I have read interviews that Ben Bass has done on Sam Swarek's mind set and that will reflect in this story.

**Now since the show was vague about how much time Sam and Marlo were together – I'm guessing.**

I love hearing people different opinions on how they see my story. We can all read the same words but see different things in them and that's what I love about writing.

It's also been pointed out that Sam referring to Andy as his 'partner' might get confusing since it's a fic about cops, so I will try to use the term **boyfriend and girlfriend** more. I also do proof my chapters before posting them, but it is usually late at night because that is when I've finished writing them so I am sorry if there are a few typos. I will try to be more careful from now on … Happy reading.

* * *

"Don't ever say you're lonely, Just lay your problems on me and I'll be waiting there for you. The stars can be so blinding, when you get tired of fighting - you know the one you can look to … when the vision you have gets blurry, you don't have to worry, I'll be your eyes. It's the least I can do, cause when I fell, you pulled me through. So you know that I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you. So you know that I ll carry you, I ll carry you, I ll carry you…"

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN **

_**Previously on 'You Matter'**_

_A minute passed before he heard the door open again._

"_Wow," Sarah voiced as she walked towards the bed with her brother's duffle bag slung over her shoulder._

_Sam's eyes shot open and his eyes landed on his older sister. He could tell by her facial expression that she had heard something. "What did you hear?" _

_Sarah placed the duffle bag beside her brother and released a sigh. "All of it," she confessed. "I saw her enter and was curious to who she was, so I listened at the door. When I heard her coming, I quickly ducked across the hall into the next room until she left. So that was Marlo."_

_Sam didn't know what to say. What could he say? _

* * *

After a minute of silence Sam released a heavy sigh. "Yeah, that was Marlo," he confirmed.

Sarah just nodded her head as she bit down on her bottom lip.

Sam was watching his older sister and could tell that she wanted to say something, but was trying not to. "What?"

Sarah placed a hand on her hip. "How long were you with Marlo for?" she asked out of curiosity. "Because last time we spoke and you mentioned her – I figured it was something new and you had only been dating a couple of weeks, a month or two tops since I hadn't heard about her before that."

Sam released a sigh and closed his eyes. "A little over six months, I think. We didn't start dating until Andy was gone for a little over three months. I was at the Penny one night drinking my sorrows away when Marlo came over and started talking to me. She had transferred to the 15th Division two weeks earlier. She was nice and I was in a bad place. I had no idea when Andy was coming back or if she even wanted me back … why?"

Sarah narrowed her eyes onto her younger brother. "Well, you started mentioning Andy a few weeks after working with her. She first came up in conversation when you mumbled on about this new 'Bambi with a badge' tackling you in an alley and breaking your cover. Then she slipped into most of our phone conversation somehow and I could always here the smile in your voice when you talked about her … it's ashame that we never met until now."

Sam was glad that his sister and Andy seemed to like each other. _He wasn't sure why he never introduced Andy to his sister and her family when they were together. A part of him knew that there would always time to later down the track and if she met Sarah then might would be curious about their parents. _"So …"

Sarah glared at her younger brother. "I am just curious to why you never mentioned Marlo to me. I didn't even know about her until a few weeks ago and you said 'things are okay my way, but things aren't going well between me and Marlo' and then mumbled some excuse that you had to go. I tried calling you a few more times during that week and you always responded back with a text 'working a case, can't talk.' Was that 'thing' the fact that she kept her 'bi-polo' at secret?" she asked, folding her arms.

Sam rubbed his hands over his face and released a heavy sigh. "I didn't mention Marlo because I didn't know how long we would last," he admitted, guilt washing over him. "When I did find out - at first I was surprised, but that didn't change how I saw her. Marlo was the one who pulled back. I tried to make it work," he defended. "Wait … how did you know about her bi-polo? I never told you about that?" Sam cut in, raising a curious eyebrow at his sister.

Sarah bit down on her bottom lip. "Andy told me," she revealed. "I was curious to why she was trying so hard to get in contact with _your _girlfriend and she told me that she was worried about Marlo because of her bi-polo."

Sam felt awe wash over him. _That damn lion heart of her's. It was the reason he loved her. _

Sarah was watching her brother process what she had told him. _Something had been bugging her since she had talked with Andy about their break-up, yesterday._ "Have you two talked since the break up?" she asked with curiosity. "And I don't mean 'How are you?' and 'I'm fine,'" Sarah expressed, mimicking her brother and Andy with hand gestures. "I mean really talked, putting everything out there, maybe even yelling at each other a little and being open about your past?"

Sam remained silent and clenched his jaw. _No, they hadn't. They had that brief talk in his truck on the night of Frank and Noelle's engagement party, but they hadn't really talked about their break up or Sam's past. He had only ever mentioned a few brief things over the years. _"What if she doesn't want me when she finds out who I really am?"

Sarah was completely floored. "Are you serious?" she asked, gobsmacked. "Sam … I love you, but sometimes I wanna strangle you." She told him, straight-out. "You have got to _stop _letting your past _define_ you. You are not like _dad_, baby brother. The day you became a cop you _proved_ that. And if you want any relationship to work, you have to be_ willing_ to let someone in – _completely_ and_ wholly_. Andy wants to know you, but is too scared to ask because she doesn't want to push you away."

Sam looked at his sister, astounded. "She told you that?" _Andy really thought that? He had always wondered why she never asked him about his past. He had figured that she didn't care or want to know. _

The female Swarek nodded her head. "She loves you, Sammy," Sarah said, flat-out. "And I know you love her. I don't want either of you to waste another second. When Jerry died, I know it hit you hard, but don't make his death the reason for not living fully and letting Andy get close. You have to knock down that wall you've built."

Sam hated that his sister was right. _Even when they had been together, he had kept a little distance between them. Sam hadn't realized it until he lost her. He did love Andy, but would that be enough to keep her. _

"**Uncle Sammy!" **came two small voices in unison from the direction of the door. **"Mommy!"**

Sam and Sarah snapped their heads in the direction of the two darked haired twin ten-year-olds that were standing in the doorway.

Sarah was surprised when she saw her children, followed by her husband – enter the room and walk towards them. "Hey guys," she greeted the twins, before catching her husbands, deep blues. "Patrick? Why didn't you tell me you guys were coming down?"

Sam was surprised to see his ten year old niece and nephew here, but was happy to see them. "Hey Monkeys," he greeted them with a grin, hoping that Sarah would know drop the subject.

Patrick smiled at his wife as he stopped in front of her, pulling her into his arms and placing a kiss on her lips.

"It was a surprise," Tilly announced with excitement as she turned her big blue eyes from her mother and onto her uncle. "What's that thing in your arm?" she asked her uncle, straight out.

Sam smiled at his niece. _That's what he loved about her. She always said what was on her mind. _"It's a morphine drip," he told her honestly. "It's got special medicine in it that helps me if I feel any pain."

Tilly looked at him with her big blue eyes. "Oh, do you feel a lot of pain?"

Sam wasn't going to tell his niece the whole truth because he didn't want to scare her. "I'm fine, Kiddo," he promised her with a soft smile.

Tilly looked at her uncle with hesitation. "So … it won't hurt if I give you a hug?" she asked with trepidation.

Sam smiled at the girl. "I can take it," he assured her.

Tilly smiled as she hurried towards his bed and slid onto it. She then leaned forward and flung her arms around her neck. Sam hugged the girl back and ignored the twinge of pain that was shooting through him. _He had needed this._

Sarah and Patrick watched their daughter with her uncle. Travis stayed by his parent's side. He was the quiet twin. The twins are opposite as day and night.

* * *

Twenty minutes later the petite blonde nurse entered the room. She was doing her rounds. She entered the male Detective's room and noticed that he had visitors. She recognized his sister and guessed this was her family.

"Good morning," she greeted her patient as she smiled at the dark haired girl that was sitting on the bed to his injured side. "I see we have some visitors … where's Andy?" she inquired, looking around the room for the brunette cop.

Sam vaguely remembered the blonde nurse from last night when he had woken, she had handed him the cup. _Why was she asking about Andy?_ He raised an eyebrow. "Um, at work," he mumbled. "Why?"

Jenny was surprised to hear that. "Oh, only because she wouldn't leave your side or the room since you were brought in," she shared. "Every time I tried to talk her into taking a break, she would shake her head and say 'I need to be here in case he wakes up'. She was determined not to leave your side. You have a very special woman there, Detective."

Sarah released a soft chuckle.

Sam didn't know want to say. _'I need to be here in case he wakes up,_' _'I chose you' I love you' _kept playing through his head. He just nodded his head in response. Sam knew that he had a lot to work through with Andy, but hopefully they could do it together and it wasn't too late.

Nurse Jenny could see that her patient seemed to be a little zoned out. She wasn't sure if that was from the morphine or something else. "So how are we feeling this morning, Sam?" she asked her with a smile.

Sam was pulled from his thoughts at that question and turned his attention towards his sister. He gave her a look.

Sarah knew that look and nodded her head. She turned her attention towards her kids and smiled. "Till, Trev, how about we pop down to the gift shop and find a present for Uncle Sammy while the nurse does her job?" she suggested.

Tilly lit up and Trevor just nodded. Tilly turned her attention back onto her uncle and placed a kiss on his cheek. "We'll be back soon," she told him with a bright smile.

Sam chuckled. "Looking forward to it, Monkey," he told the ten year old. He then watched as his family gather together and left the room.

A moment later, he turned his attention back onto the nurse who was looking at him. "I'm fine pain wise," he told her. "Just hurts a little if I moved too much but I wouldn't mind taking a shower. My sister bought in some clothes so I can change out of stupid gown."

Jenny smiled. "Do you need some help, Detective," she asked in amusement.

"A little," Sam grumbled.

* * *

**10:44am**

Sam was glad to finally be in pants. He was glad that his sister had bought in a couple of sweats pants and sweat shirts. The temperature in the room was comfortable, but he knew it would be cold outside. After Sam had showered and managed to get his sweat pants on, Nurse Jenny had redressed his wound and helped him pull the sweatshirt over his neck. He still couldn't reach past mid way without inflicting any pain. Nurse Jenny then had reattached the morphine drip to the needle sticking in his hand before she left to finish her rounds and promised to pop back in later.

Sarah and her family had left thirty minutes ago to take the kids back to Sam's place so they could unwind a little. It was hard for two – ten year olds being cooped up in a hospital room for a great length of time. And Sam knew that they would be heading back to St Catherine's tonight since the kids had school in the morning, he wasn't sure if his sister would be joining them though.

Sam was currently sitting on his bed, propped against his pillows. Sam was vaguely watching the morning show that was playing on the television. He was bored and he missed Andy. It had been great seeing her this morning and he knew she said she would be back later, Sam just wished that later would come sooner.

He had placed the large teddy bear that his niece and nephew had bought him in the chair that Andy usually occupied. His leather Jacket was now draped over the bear's shoulders. The bear was the size of a toddler and was dark brown in colour with a bandage around its head and wearing a shirt that read 'I hope you get better beary soon'. It made him smile.

Traci and Luke had also popped in as Sarah and her family were leaving. They had to get his statement about the events of the shooting and updated him on everything that had happened since. Luke had informed him on his conversation with Andy and told him that they shouldn't have kept something like that quiet. There visit had lasted twenty minutes and they had only left several minutes ago.

"Knock Knock," came the voice of his best friend.

Sam's eyes darted in the direction of his door as Oliver and Celery entered the room. Celery had a large black hand bag hanging off her right shoulder.

"Sammy," Oliver greeted his best friend with a smile as he walked towards the bed, holding Celery's hand.

Sam was relieved to see his friend. He hadn't seen him since before Oliver had gotten abducted. "Hey brother," he greeted the blue eyed cop with a smile. Sam then turned his eyes onto the Wiccan women. "Hey Celery," he added with a nod of the head.

Celery smiled at the wounded Detective as they stopped at his bedside, beside the IV pole on wheels. "Hi Sam," she greeted him with a friendly smile. "We are so glad that you're okay. You had has all worried for a while there. How are you feeling," she asked, sweetly.

Sam smiled at the darked haired woman. _He liked Celery, even if she was a bit quirky. She was a nice woman and made Oliver happy, the happiest he has been in a long time_. "Good, considering," he answered, honestly.

Celery nodded her head. "That's good, I can still see some darkness around the edges of your Aura … something is troubling you," she told him with certainty. "Are you having trouble sleeping?

Sam's eyes widened as his jaw dropped. _Was she serious? Yes he was having troubling sleeping, but he had just been shot. And of course something was troubling him, but his Aura? _

Oliver was looking at his best friend with a grin. He was use to all of this witchy stuff with his girlfriend and found it best not to question her beliefs. It was something he loved about her. He could see it would take some time before his friends got use to it. Oliver let his eyes drift around until he spotted something. "Nice bear," he commented, changing the subject.

Sam turned his eyes from Celery and onto Oliver. "It's from Tilly and Trev," he shared with an easy smile.

Oliver lit up. "Sarah's kids are here?"

Sam nodded. "Pat surprised us this morning. They're back at mine at the moment. The twins needed a break from the room. They'll be back sometime later."

Oliver just nodded in head.

Celery's phone began to ring. She pulled it from her handbag with her free hand and looked down at the number. She turned her eyes onto her boyfriend. "I need to take this," she told him.

Oliver placed a kiss on her cheek. "Take it," he answered, letting go of her hand. "I'll be right here."

Celery smiled as she answered her phone, walking away from the room.

Oliver watched his girlfriend leave the room before turning his eyes back onto his best friend.

Sam was watching his friend. "You got a good one there," he voiced.

Oliver nodded his head in agreement. "I do. She's amazing and I still cannot believe how lucky I am. The girls accept her too, Paige thinks all the witch stuff is cool and Izzy is happy that she makes me happy. Sophie is still a little young to understand but is sweet to her. Zoey is seeing someone else, so the girls understand that their parents are happy apart."

Sam nodded his head. "How are you doing, buddy?"

Oliver was still smiling. "Great," he answered as he slid onto the end of his friend bed. "I have the next week off - doctor's orders, but Celery has been amazing. She was worried when I was taken, but has been by my side since. She stayed with me all night after I was admitted and woke me every hour. She been making me drink all of these _healing _tea's since we got home and I have to admit that I feel great."

Sam couldn't help but smile at his friend's happiness that's when he spotted something around his friend's neck. It looked like some sort of circle pendant with something on it. Sam couldn't quite see what. _He knew that Oliver was the jewellery type of guy. _"What that around your neck?"

Oliver knew what his friend was talking about. He reached for the circle amulet. "Oh, my new bling?" he joked with a grin. "That is 'Mohammedan Magic Circle," he shared casually. "It's a amulet that is designed to protect me from harm. Celery gave it to me after we left the hospital."

Sam was staggered. "Protection amulet, really Oliver?" he questioned in disbelief.

Oliver knew that Sam's response would be that. "Hey, I love this woman and if she wants me to wear a damn pendant to keep me safe, I am wearing the damn pendant … speaking of which, how's McNally?"

Sam still couldn't believe … _Wait?_ "How's that speaking of which?" the injured Detective asked looking down the bed at his friend.

Oliver had a serious expression etched across his face. "She was worried about you, Sammy. You should have seen her, brother. She was a mess. And thank god for Sarah keeping an eye on her and making sure she ate and got some sleep."

Sam smiled. _His sister was good for that. She was such a mother hen sometimes. He knew that Sarah would have known that he would have wanted her to look after Andy if he couldn't. _

"I have a question for you," Oliver supplied. "When did you put Andy as one of your next of kin? That fact kinda surprised as all."

Sam had forgotten about that. "Uh, about four months after we started dating. It was just after my yearly physical and the doctor asked me if my paper work was update. I went over it and when I came across the next of kin section. I found myself writing down her details. I knew that she would always be a part of my life so I figured if anything happened to me, she should be a part of the decision." He shared. "I was already her next of kin."

Oliver's looked at him, gobsmacked. "What?"

Sam released a sigh. "Uh, yeah … do you remembed a couple of years ago when Andy had sprained her wrist. It was a couple months after the Rookie's had been cut loose and it was one of our days off – anyway the hospital called me because they couldn't get onto her father, and had left a message with Traci Nash, but I was also listed as the second next of kin."

Oliver's eyes widened as his jaw dropped a little.

Sam knew the surprised look on his friend's face. "Yeah, I was shocked to hear that since we had only known each for nine months at the time and weren't even a couple," Sam expressed. "Anyway, I got to the hospital and she was getting her wrist bandaged, she had sprained it rock climbing and the doctors had put her on some strong pain meds and knew she would need a ride home."

* * *

_**Three Years Ago**_

_**Examination Room – 15:15p.m**_

_Sam was showed into the Examination Room by a nurse. He spotted Andy sitting on an examination table as the doctor tapped off her wrist and was explaining to her how she would not be rocking climbing again for at least several weeks."… you just gotta take it easy," he told her. _

"_I'm gonna be desk at the damn front desk for a few weeks," she groaned. _

_Sam let a smile steal his lips at that comment. "Hey Partner," he greeted Andy as he walked into the room and towards the bed. "What happened?"_

_Andy felt a little loopy from the pain medication that the doctor had given her on arrival, it was last a few more hours yet. She heard his voice and turned her eyes onto him. "Sam? What are you doing here?"_

_Sam's eyes dropped to her bandaged wrist. "The hospital called me," he told her in a gentle tone. "They couldn't get hold of your dad or Traci and I'm marked as next of kin?"_

_Andy nodded her head. She remembered now. She had put him on the list a few months ago. He was her partner and she knew her dad wasn't always reliable and Traci could be busy with Leo. "Oh, I forget," she answered with a loopy smile. "I'm fine," she told him. "Just a little sprain."_

_Sam rolled his eyes. "A little sprain? Geez Andy," he answered in frustration, rubbing his hands over his face. _

_**Driving**_

_Sam was driving Andy home and it was raining outside so he was going slowly. The last thing they needed was another trip to the hospital. The radio was going and Andy was singing along to some bon jovi song. _

_Sam couldn't help but grin. He knew it was the medication that was making her loopy, but he liked this side of her. Sam knew that since she was on the medication, he could ask her whatever she wanted and Andy would answer._

"_So, why am I on your next of kin list?"_

_Andy turned her hazel browns onto her partner. His eyes were dead ahead at the road. "You're my partner, I trust you." She admitted. "And who knows what state dad would be in, plus Traci might not always be able to come because she has Leo to worry about" she shared, releasing a heavy sigh. "It's so pretty when it's raining."_

_Sam was a little taken a back at her commented. She trusted him? "What about luke?" he questioned, the words tasting bitter in his mouth. _

_Andy let out a sigh. "Luke's always busy and I know his job is important. I also know that if you were called - you would come." she revealed naturally with a wave of her hand. "Plus I added your name months ago."_

_Sam was gobsmacked. Months ago?_

* * *

"SAM!" Oliver practically shouted at his friend.

Sam was pulled from his past memory. "Uh?" he mumbled, looking at his friend.

Oliver looked at his friend a little worried. "Are you okay, buddy? You kinda zoned out for a moment."

"Sorry," he apologized, distracted.

Oliver was concerned and frustrated with his two friends._ He just wished that they would work their crap already. Oliver knew how stubborn Sam could be, same with Andy. _"You know, Andy wouldn't leave your side for a moment. We all tried getting her to, but she just kept saying 'I can't leave. I promised him I would stay. I have to be here when he wakes. I am not leaving him this time," he revealed. "And she stayed."

Sam could see the sincerity in his friend's eyes. _He knew what Oliver was trying to tell him._ '_I'm not leaving him this time'_. Sam knew what Andy was talking about.

Oliver could see that his friend was fighting an inner battle with himself. He also knew that sometimes Sam needed a push because he can be so damn stubborn. "Have you two talked? Properly?" he asked.

Sam released a heavy sigh as he closed his eyes. "No," he answered, honestly, re-opening his eyes. "I know we need to talk, but not right now. I don't want to do it while I'm stuck in here on morphine," he proclaimed, gesturing to the drip stuck in his hand. "What if it's too late? What if we're too broken?"

Oliver looked at his friend, stunned. He shook his head. "Sammy, a relationship has its up and downs, but when you've been through so much with each other, all the arguments, fights and conflict is the glue that's keeping the passion in relationship going. You can't have love without a little pain, but if the bond is strong enough to overcome its obstacles then it's worth fighting for. And I've seen you two from the start. Your bond is unbreakable."

Sam was speechless.

Celery re-entered the room, sliding her phone into her handbag as she crossed the floor towards her boyfriend and the wounded Detective.

Oliver heard Celery walking towards them and a smile licked his lips as his eyes towards his beautiful girlfriend as she walked towards him. "Hey darling, Sam was just saying how cool he thinks my amulet is."

Sam turned his eyes onto the witchy woman and plastered a smile on his face. "Yeah, Awesome," he voiced, a tinge of sarcasm lacing his tone.

Celery lit up as she stood in front of Oliver and turned her eyes onto the dark haired man. "Thank you, Sam. I know it may seem silly to some people, but it gives me peace of mind when I'm not with Ollie," she supplied, reaching into her bag. "And I wasn't sure if you would be that in to it, but I've got one for you too."

Sam glared at his friend who was grinning from ear to ear. "You shouldn't have," he answered, turning his eyes back the witch.

Celery waved it off as she handed the pendant on the chain to him. "I will have peace at mind knowing that you're protected too, especially with your job and what happened Friday night."

Sam looked down at the pendant of some sort of animal looking thing sitting on a dark blue glass orb. It was on a thick silver chain, just like Oliver's. "Was is it?"

Celery smiled. "That is the 'Guardian from Harm Talisman,'" she explained, naturally. "That little creature is a gargoyle, known for guarding sacred places, protectively coiled about and clutching a colourful glass orb representing the person to be protected. Gargoyles are known to protect against evil and harm. That's why you see them on old buildings and outside some older stone churches."

Sam just looked down at the amulet in his opened hand. "Thank you," he answered, astounded. _It was actually kind of nice that she cared about him. _

Celery waved her hand. "It's nothing," she told him, sweetly. "I'll put it on you," she voiced, grabbing it from his open palm and in a matter of seconds was standing at the top of his bed. She clipped the amulet around his neck before turning away and walked back to Oliver.

* * *

**A/N – **So, I loved Charmed growing up and my knowledge of Wiccan comes from that show and the internet. I have also started watching a show called 'Witches of East End', I recommend both if you love magic. Anyway, I love Celery's character and hope the writers keep her on the show. Ollie is happy.

Sam's pendant - images/search?q=Guardian+From+Harm+Talisman&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=1BF1B4BEF5AA306F3E902BAE673A41ACDBAA6576&selectedI ndex=0

Ollie's amulet - images/search?q=Mohammedan+Magic+Circle&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=86AFFA2783B3DFC9BD91FBAB644CE55DD598B86A&selectedI ndex=2

Reviews are appreciated …


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